| The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reports that "While engaged in forestry operations off the Odyssey Camp, the small yarding tug "Wolco VI VI" took on water, heeled heavily to port, downflooded, and sank when the tug operator tried to haul a heavy granite (stone) anchor along the sea-bed. The operator became trapped inside the tug and lost his life, but the deck-hand managed to escape. He radioed for help on his portable radiotelephone and was rescued shortly thereafter by the logging camp helicopter that responded to the call. " "The "Wolco VI" is a small steel yarding tug of carvel construction with a plumb stem and a rounded transom stern. There is a small aluminium cabin (wheel-house) located amidship with a command bridge atop. A dinette is located to the port of the steering console (helm) in the cabin, with a galley to starboard of it. A narrow door on the forward bulkhead of the cabin, to starboard of the centre-line helm, leads to the forecastle area. The wheel-house can be accessed from a rear sliding door and from a hinged door on the starboard side. The wheel-house has basic equipment comprising a radar, an echo-sounder and a very high frequency radiotelephone (VHF R/T). The echo-sounder was known to have been defective and non-operational for a period of time, and this information had been brought to the attention of the company during safety meetings. The "Wolco VI" was employed at the Odyssey Camp located in Kwatna Inlet, one of the three helicopter logging camps operated by HELIFOR, a subsidiary of International Forest Products (INTERFOR). " |
