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Backgrounder

Queen of the North - Investigation Chronology

22 March 2006 - At 0021, Queen of the North strikes Gil Island and sinks.

27 and 28 March 2006 - TSB oversees BC Ferries dive on vessel. Vessel found sitting upright on the bottom with bridge accessible.

31 March to 15 June 2006 - Investigation post-field phase, including follow-up witness interviews, passenger surveys, document collection, formulation of event timeline, and analysis of potential safety issues.

11 May 2006 - TSB sends BC Ferries a Marine Safety Advisory respecting the adequacy of crew's familiarization with new equipment.

19 to 25 June 2006 - TSB conducts dive on the vessel, successfully recovers electronic chart system (ECS), and fully documents the disposition of the bridge. Data from ECS successfully recovered and analyzed using full-motion bridge simulator.

10 August 2006 - TSB sends Transport Canada a Marine Safety Advisory respecting the adequacy of current guidelines for creating ferry passenger manifests.

July 2006 to March 2007 - Investigation team prepares initial draft report for Board consideration.

30 March 2007 - Board approves initial draft report and confidential report sent to designated reviewers for a 30-day turnaround.

23 April 2007 - Designated reviewers request and are granted additional 30-day extension to provide representations on the confidential report.

23 April 2007 - BC Ferries provides copies of statutory declarations from two BC Ferries employees indicating that Quartermaster 1 had been heard to say that she was alone on the bridge.

23 April to 15 July 2007 - Based on statutory declarations, TSB re-opens field phase of investigation and interviews key witnesses.

July and August 2007 - Information on use of cannabis by crew members aboard the Queen of the North investigated and verified.

15 July to 15 October 2007 - Second draft report prepared and considered by Board.

17 October 2007 - Stand-alone Board Safety Concern regarding use of Cannabis on Queen of the North is sent to BC Ferries and released to the public.

07 November 2007 - Board sends second confidential draft report out to designated reviewers with 30-day comment period. Two designated reviewers requested and were granted extension.

14 December 2007 to 14 January 2008 - TSB reviews, assesses and responds to over 700 comments received from designated reviewers; by far the most comments ever received on a TSB investigation.

14 January 2008 - Responses to confidential draft report and amended report sent to Board for approval.

30 January 2008 - Board approves final report.

30 January 2008 to 12 March 2008 - Final editing, translation and printing of final report and preparations for its release.

February 2008 - TSB sends Transport Canada a Marine Safety Advisory respecting marine personnel regulations.

12 March 2008 - Final report into the sinking of the Queen of the North released to the public