Queen of the North Disaster: The Captain's Story

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Wednesday, November 16th, 2016
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Few recent events in British Columbia have seized the public mind like the 2006 sinking of the BC Ferries passenger vessel Queen of the North. On the tenth anniversary of the tragedy, Captain Colin Henthorne has released a book about that fateful night and will speak on the subject at the Courtenay Museum lecture series on Wednesday, November 16th beginning at 7 pm. The basic facts are beyond dispute. Just after midnight on March 22, 2006, the Queen of the North—carrying 101 passengers—struck an underwater ledge off Gil Island, 135 kilometres south of Prince Rupert. The impact tore open the ship’s bottom and ripped out the propellers. In less than an hour, it sank to the bottom of Wright Sound, 427 metres below the surface.

Despite the crew’s skilled evacuation, two passengers went missing and have never been found. Helmswoman Karen Briker was fired. Fourth Mate Karl Lilgert was charged with criminal negligence causing death and sentenced to four years in prison. Captain Henthorne, who was not on watch at the time of the grounding, fought to keep his job and lost. It took him over six years to recover his career. Henthorne was born in Vancouver and grew up in British Columbia. He has spent nearly all his life living and working on the water. He sailed as a master with BC Ferries starting in 1990 and was fifty-two when the Queen of the North sank.

He has continued to work aboard and to command ships. At the time of writing he is a Canadian Coast Guard Rescue Co-ordinator at the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, BC. Admission to the evening is $5 for Historical Society members; $6 for non-members (plus GST).

Advance tickets are recommended and can be purchased by phone: 250-334-0686 ext 5. Copies of the book will be available for purchase ($24.95) and signing after the lecture. The Courtenay and District Museum is located at 207 Fourth Street in downtown Courtenay.