Date of incident: October 2023
Notice of incident number: 2023167090032
Employer: Marine towing company

Incident summary
A worker was operating a small vessel (workboat) in windy conditions when it was swamped by high waves and capsized. The worker made a distress call but drowned before he could be rescued.

Investigation conclusions

Cause

• Workboat was not watertight. The workboat was likely swamped when water flowed onto the deck and into the bilge through the engine hatch cover at the bow and the bilge access hole cover at the stern, both of which were not watertight. The bilge pump was unable to pump out as much water as was entering the workboat. The extra water on board compromised the workboat’s stability, and it capsized.

Contributing factors

• Environmental conditions. At the time of the incident, the workboat was experiencing westerly winds of 20 knots (37 km/h). The winds resulted in waves that were higher than the workboat’s freeboard, allowing water to accumulate on the deck and in the bilge, compromising the workboat’s stability.
• Lack of personal protective equipment. After the incident, the worker was found on the shore without a personal flotation device (PFD) or lifejacket. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires workers to wear a PFD or lifejacket when they are at risk of drowning.

Request the full report