Tag Archives: CF/V Caledonian

Capsizing and loss of life – Fishing vessel Caledonian Marine Investigation Report M15P0286

On 05 September 2015, at approximately 1530 Pacific Daylight Time, the fishing vessel Caledonian capsized 20 nautical miles west of Nootka Sound, British Columbia. At the time, the vessel was trawling for hake with 4 crew members on board. Following the capsizing, the master and mate climbed onto the overturned hull and remained there for several hours. When the vessel eventually sank, the master and mate abandoned it, and the mate swam toward and boarded the life raft. The Canadian Coast Guard subsequently rescued the mate and recovered the bodies of the master and the 2 other crew members. History of the voyage – On 27 August 2015, after the Caledonian had returned to Port Hardy, British Columbia, following a groundfish fishing trip, the crew began preparing the vessel to switch fisheries from groundfish to hake. They topped up the fuel and water tanks to the predetermined levels and the regular master gave a brief handover to the engineer, who was taking over as master. The handover briefing focused on loading practices for hake. The master described the vessel’s departure condition, explaining that the 2 forward fish holds and the 2 aft fish holds were to be filled with seawater and that 2 tons of ice (no seawater) were to be stowed in each centre hold. Read the full report here 15:38

Transportation Safety Board report on B.C. fishing boat capsizing that killed three to be released

Investigators with the Board are scheduled to release a report today about a commercial fishing boat that capsized last year near Tofino, B.C., killing three men. The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre has said the Caledonian’s crew was trying to haul in a net on Sept. 5, 2015, when the boat listed. It capsized and sank about 55 kilometres west of Estevan Point off Vancouver Island. A fourth man was rescued from a life-raft hours later. The BC Coroners Service identified Wesley Hagglund, Keith Standing and Doug White as the men who died in the accident. Link 09:55

Spousal Relief Fund For Genny

This fund has been set up for my mother, Genny Pavan. We are currently trying to raise any money we can for her during this difficult time. The money will be used to help her with financial struggles she has endured since the loss of her spouse Doug. Her lights are on the verge of being turned off, and is months behind in other bills. She has basically been left on her own, with no help and broken promises.  As many of us already know, in September Doug tragically lost his life fishing off the coast of Tofino while aboard the Caledonian when the boat suddenly capsized. Please read the rest here , and please donate if you can.  Related articles – Caledonian Tragedy Family Relief Fund click,  – For: Wes Hegglund, Keith Standing, Doug White – There appears to be a problem with the Caledonian Tragedy Family Relief Fund click

Friends and loved ones to gather, celebrate the life of Fisherman Douglas William Thomas in Port Alberni September 26th

Fisherman Douglas William ThomasDoug passed away suddenly as a result of a marine accident off the coast of Vancouver Island. He was a fisherman, gardener, and cook. His hands were in the earth and his heart was in the ocean. From a young age he valued his friends and could not refuse when asked to help. He had an amazing sense of humour and his laugh was contagious. Doug’s last years were spent happily with his Genny rebuilding a home around them and enjoying his life with her. Many are mourning his sudden and tragic passing. Details can be found here 15:47

Captain died doing the job he loved

15931cowichanvalleycitizenFATALHegglundCaptain Wesley Lief Hegglund, 55, whose life-long ambition was to be a commercial fisherman, had been living the dream. “Wes graduated with an honours degree in Hard Knocks from Hecate Straight University; an institution reserved for only the toughest commercial fishermen on the West Coast,” read his obituary, written by his sister. “Through hard work and determination he attained his lifelong ambition of becoming a commercial fishing vessel captain — a career he enjoyed immensely.” Read the rest here 11:46

Life jacket credited for saving man’s life in fish boat tragedy

Before the Caledonian went down, two fishermen clung to the capsized vessel for hours. Only one was wearing a life vest. It saved his life. The unidentified man was the sole survivor when the 33-metre dragger sank to the bottom like a stone Saturday evening, more than six hours after capsizing in chilly waters north of Tofino. His three partners in the ship’s four-member crew — engineer Keith Standing, 48, and deckhand Doug White, 41, of Port Alberni, and 55-year-old skipper Wesley Hegglund of Duncan — died in the waters 55 kilometres west of Estevan Point, near the entrance to Nootka Sound. Notes pieced together from the recollections of the survivor tell a harrowing tale that Joint Rescue Coordination Centre marine rescue co-ordinator Colin Henthorne summarized. It was cloudy; fishermen a few dozen miles away reported two-metre swells. The Caledonian had one “bag” of fish on board. As they brought a second netful, the vessel started to list significantly, finally keeling on its side between 3 or 3:30 p.m. Read the rest here 18:51

Coroners service identifies fishermen who died near Tofino

through the stoemThe B.C. Coroners Service has named the three fishermen who died when a commercial fishboat capsized near Tofino on Saturday. The three men, crew members of the commercial fish dragger Caledonian, are skipper Wesley Hegglund, 55, of Duncan; engineer Keith Edward Standing, 48, of Port Alberni; and , 41, also of Port Alberni. The boat was about 55 kilometres west of Estevan Point, north of Tofino, when it capsized and eventually sank, the coroners service said. The three men’s bodies were recovered by the Canadian Coast Guard over the next 18 hours. All were pronounced dead at the scene. Read the rest here 19:22

Deadliest year for B.C. fishermen in a decade

This has become the deadliest year for B.C. fishermen in a decade, following the capsizing of a commercial fishing boat north of Tofino on the weekend, says the Transportation Safety Board. Three crew members died when the Caledonian, owned by Pacific Seafood, capsized Saturday night, at about 8 pm. PT, off Estevan Point on the west coast of Vancouver Island. That brings the number of deaths in B.C. fishing to six for 2015, said Glenn Budden, a senior marine investigator with the Transportation Safety Board. “It’s not been a good year for B.C. fishermen,” Read the rest here 21:45

Commercial fisherman remembers 3 colleagues who died when their boat, the Caledonian, capsized

A crew member from the sister ship of the one that capsized off Vancouver Island over the weekend, is speaking out about the loss of three men and the decision that saved a fourth man’s life.  “They were good, hardworking family-loving men who unfortunately aren’t going to make it home tonight,” said one fisherman who did not want to be identified. He has worked on both and its sister ship, the Viking Storm. The Caledonian is the boat that capsized. Captain Wes Hegglend and two other crew members died when the Caledonian experienced what is believed to be some kind of stabilization issue and capsized. Video interview Read the rest here 07:21

B.C. tragedy as 3 fisherman drown off Tofino, one survives

The fishing boat, the Caledonian, with four fishermen onboard capsized in Pacific Ocean waters off of the town of Tofino on Vancouver Island Saturday. Three of them are dead and one survivor was plucked from the waters. Navy Lt. Nicole Murillo with the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said the survivor revealed that the men were hauling in a net with a large catch in it when the 33-metre boat listed over into the water; the survivor said they knew the situation was dangerous but were unable to get the ship back upright. “They tried to correct it,” Lt. Murillo said. “But unfortunately the ship capsized and subsequently sunk.” Read the rest here 09:45