Free-fall lifeboat drill went wrong, safety board says of incident in Vancouver

First responders attend a scene in Vancouver after two crew members were hurt as they carried out a routine drill in a covered lifeboat on Dec. 1, 2020.

RICHMOND, B.C. -

The Transportation Safety Board has concluded its report into an accident involving a lifeboat that dropped from a ship moored in Vancouver's English Bay, injuring two crew members.

The board's report says two crew members from the bulk carrier Blue Bosporus were in the lifeboat as part of a free-fall lifeboat drill conducted in December 2020.

They were not buckled in and were seriously hurt when the slings released and the lifeboat plunged 14 metres to the water.

The report says hardware on the slings around the lifeboat had weakened over time and the slings were attached to the bulk carrier in a way that concentrated the load on the lifeboat's rear sling.

The probe also found that there were no orders for a regular review of the slings even though the crew conducted ongoing maintenance of the lifeboats and launching equipment.

The board says the ship's owner, Apollonia Lines S.A., has replaced the failed equipment, load tested and certified the slings and brackets, and has issued companywide orders for inspections of lifeboats, their related equipment and for lifeboat drills.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2022.