(Gatineau, Quebec, February 8, 2006) - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada's (TSB) final report M03W0073 on the investigation into the fire on board the passenger ferry Queen of Surrey, will be released at a news conference in Vancouver, British-Columbia on Thursday, February 9, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific standard time). Prior to the news conference, there will be an in-camera technical briefing at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific standard time).
Where:
The Pan Pacific Hotel, Ocean View 1 Room Canada Place
Vancouver, British Columbia
The Investigator-in-Charge will provide a technical briefing on the accident, followed by a news conference with the TSB Chair and the Director of Investigations (Marine). A question and answer period will follow. No recording will be allowed during the technical briefing.
On the morning of May 12, 2003, while en route in clear and calm conditions from Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia, to Langdale, British Columbia, with 318 passengers and 137 vehicles on board, the Queen of Surrey suffered a diesel oil fire on one of its main engines. The engine room was evacuated and sealed, and CO2 was released into it. Although immediate failure of the CO2 distribution manifold allowed some of the gas to escape, enough reached the engine room to extinguish the fire. The vessel was then towed to the Langdale ferry terminal, where the passengers disembarked. There were no fatalities.
Copies of the final report M03W0073 will be available for reporters under embargo at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific standard time) on Thursday, February 9, 2006. The content of the report will remain under embargo until 11:00 a.m. (Pacific standard time), at which time it will be available on the TSB Web site at www.tsb.gc.ca. The content of the report will remain under embargo until the end of the press conference.
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For more information, contact:
John Cottreau
Senior Media Relations Advisor
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Telephone: (819) 994-8053
Cellular: (613) 292-4146
or
Christian Plouffe
Media Relations Advisor
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Telephone: (819) 953-7812
Cellular: (613) 850-0738
