Fishing boat on automatic pilot before colliding with boat in fatal crash:report
By The Canadian Press
BEACH POINT, P.E.I. – A report by the Transportation Safety Board into a fishing boat collision that resulted in two deaths says one of the boats was on autopilot at the time of the crash.
The findings say both the Forever Chasin’ Tail and its three crew, and the Joel ’98 with five crew left Beach Point, P.E.I., to haul lobster traps on June 9.
The report says weather conditions were good with low winds, clear skies and unlimited visibility.
The report says the master of the Forever Chasin’ Tail set the automatic pilot to steer it toward the entrance of Beach Point, but headed directly into the port side of the Joel ’98 with no time to manoeuvre.
The summary report says crew on the Joel ’98 had just recovered the marker buoy on their next set of lobster traps and were focused on the starboard side when crew saw the Forever Chasin’ Tail heading directly toward their port side.
Forever Chasin’ Tail came to rest on top of the deck of the Joel ’98, forcing two crew members and one passenger onto the other vessel while the remaining crew member and passenger from the Joel ’98 were found floating on the port side of the Forever Chasin’ Tail as it floated free of the sinking vessel.
Copyright (c) 2018 The Canadian Press
