Safety board report appears to contradict testimony at B.C. ferry sinking trial

VANCOUVER – Jurors at the Queen of the North trial are deliberating a verdict, but they’ll be reaching their conclusion without the benefit of a Transportation Safety Board report that appears to contradict some testimony heard at the trial.

The ferry struck an island and sank in March 2006, leaving two passengers missing and prompting investigations by the Transportation Safety Board and BC Ferries.

The Transportation Safety Board released its final report into the sinking in 2008, blaming human error and concluding fourth officer Karl Lilgert, who is now charged with criminal negligence causing death, missed the turn because he was distracted by a number of factors.

Among those factors was a “personal” conversation between Lilgert and Karen Briker, who were working alone together for the first time since their months-long sexual affair ended several weeks earlier.

Lilgert told the trial he was busy navigating the ship and ordering course changes through rough weather as the ship collided with the island, but the report said Lilgert failed to follow “basic watchkeeping practices” and did not change course after the missed turn.

The agency said poor weather was also likely a factor in the missed turn, though the report concluded the weather had cleared well before the ferry collided with Gil Island.