Man at helm before B.C. ferry sank says he should have taken over autopilot

VANCOUVER – The man at the helm of the B.C. ferry the night it sank told the jury at his criminal negligence trial that he should have taken the boat off of autopilot himself instead relying on the only other person on the bridge.

Testifying in his own defence, Karl Lilgert says he was waiting to take command of the ship to steer it safely around Gil Island, but when he asked Karen Briker to hit the switch, she replied that she didn’t know how.

Lilgert says his heart sank when the ship’s quartermaster couldn’t obey his command and by the time he took control, it was too late and the ferry slammed into the island.

Lilgert, who stopped several times to compose himself during testimony, says he was absolutely horrified when he spotted trees from the bridge that night in March 2006.

After the passengers and crew evacuated the Queen of the North, Lilgert says he watched as the boat took on water, tilted vertically and sank.

Lilgert says he was relieved when he kept hearing that the passenger count was 102, but the actual count was 99 and it was only later discovered that Shirley Rosette and Gerald Foisy were missing.