Queen of the North Tragedy: 20 Years Later

0:00It's March 29th. From your city to your ears, this is Vancouver News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. 20 years ago, on March 22nd, 2006, the B.C. Ferry ship, Queen of the North, slammed into Gill Island in British Columbia's. Right sound and sank in under two hours. Out of 101 people aboard 59 passengers and 42 crew 99 made it off on life rafts, but two passengers, Gerald Foyzee, and Shirley Rosette from 100 mile house, vanished and were never found, likely still trapped in the wreck 900 meters down. The crash happened around midnight as the ferry left Prince Rupert heading to Port Hardy. Investigators pinned it on the navigator, Karl Logan, who got convicted in 2013 of criminal negligence, causing death and served four years. Turns out he skipped the simple course tweak while alone on the bridge, with his ex, the quartermaster, both got canned, along with the captain. Folks in nearby Hartley Bay, part of the Gitgaat First Nation, dropped everything that

1:04night. They raced out in small boats like the Miss Ardell, scooped up shivering survivors in pajamas, handed over coats and socks, then fired up there. Cultural center with food and blankets. Even today, Y Crosses marked the spot, stories echo at dinners in school, and Fisher steer clear-fearing gear snags on the oily wreck. Safety shook up after BC Ferries, now mandates two navigation officers plus the quartermaster on bridge duty, round the clock, added simulators, voyage, recorders, and constant monitoring. Families got settlements, like $200,000 to Foyzee's daughters. Last year, the Coast Guard opened a Hartley Bay station with boats and staff, teaming with local guardians who still patrol and rescue boaters in, rising traffic. That spirit of watchfulness lives on in Gitgaat waters, blending old traditions with new tech to keep the passage safe, a lasting echo from one. Faithful night.