On March 22, 2006, the BC Ferries vessel Queen of the North struck an underwater ledge off Gil Island and sank less than an hour later, becoming one of British Columbia’s most talked-about marine disasters. More than a hundred passengers and crew were evacuated, two people vanished, and the incident quickly grew into a national story surrounded by speculation and unanswered questions.
The Queen of the North Disaster: The Captain's Story presents the perspective of the ship’s long-serving master, Captain Colin Henthorne. Drawing on his intimate knowledge of the vessel, crew, and route, he reconstructs the final voyage and examines the events that led to the grounding and sinking in Wright Sound.
The book follows the immediate aftermath of the collision, the frantic evacuation, and the investigations and legal battles that followed. Henthorne explores how responsibility was assigned, how careers were affected, and why so many competing narratives about the tragedy emerged.
Both a detailed sea story and a reflection on accountability and safety, this account offers readers a rare inside view of a modern marine disaster and the human consequences that linger long after the headlines fade.
- Reconstructs the 2006 Queen of the North ferry sinking
- Offers an insider view from the ship’s longtime captain
- Explores investigations, trials, and career repercussions
- Of interest to readers of maritime history and Canadian true crime
