A charter vessel that sank in the Strait of Georgia over the weekend—resulting in four survivors and six people presumed drowned—had been impounded last summer by federal authorities for illegal fishing, according to the boat's former owner.
Former Owner Reveals Impoundment
Tim Milne, who hosts and produces a television series documenting West Coast boating and fishing life, told Postmedia Thursday that he sold his 30-foot KingFisher aluminum vessel, named "Big Coast," to new owners four years ago. Last summer, he learned the vessel had been impounded because it was caught fishing in a protected zone off Pender Island.
"Transport Canada contacted me last July and they'd found that Big Coast boat fishing in an illegal fishing area off Pender Island," Milne recalled. "So they immediately thought it was me."
Confusion Over Vessel Identification
Milne said there had been ongoing frustration and confusion because the new owners had not registered the boat's automatic identification system (AIS)—a system that transmits a boat's information, including its location and speed—under a new vessel name or handle. They were "incredibly difficult to contact," Milne added, noting that he even asked friends in Steveston to leave notes on the boat for the owner.
That's why Milne took to social media this week to clarify that he had no involvement in Sunday's tragedy. "Repeated efforts to have new owners change AIS handle went nowhere and have led to confusion, especially given this tragic outcome off the South Coast," he wrote.
Federal Response and Investigation
To date, federal authorities have not identified the name of the owner or operators of the sunken vessel. Officials with Transport Canada were unable Thursday to confirm any previous infractions involving the vessel in question. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said Thursday in a statement that its investigation is still in the early stages. "Over the next few days, TSB investigators will be conducting interviews and collecting information to better understand the circumstances surrounding the sinking," the agency said.
Milne's Assessment of the Vessel
Milne said he had operated the B.C.-built vessel for four years up and down the coast and that when it was sold it was "absolutely immaculate." He said the tragedy "should never have happened" and that the vessel was "perfectly capable of handling the West Coast water."
"It's a 30-foot boat with 9.5-foot beam, welded aluminium. … It's capable of handling all sorts of weather and conditions. But again, every boat has its margin, and it seems like these guys might have found what it was," he said. "I mean, I was a little bit shocked. At the same time, not entirely because of the incident with these guys last year. … I don't believe these guys were the most experienced."
