Transportation Safety Board

• HALIFAX, NS, Nov. 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is issuing three recommendations aimed at enhancing commercial fishing safety in Canada.
• As the Tyhawk neared the fishing grounds, the weather became more severe, as did the vessel's rolling movements, which allowed water to accumulate on board.
• Commercial fishing is one of the most hazardous occupations in the country, with approximately 11 fish harvesters dying every year.
• The Tyhawk investigation highlights systemic safety issues that are identified on the TSB Watchlist : commercial fishing safety , fatigue management and regulatory surveillance , all of which need a concerted effort by the regulators to prevent future accidents from happening.

• The search for OceanGate’s lost Titan submersible captivated the world last week.
• Like many, I was saddened by the loss of the five people on board Titan.
• The Titan disaster is reminiscent of a historic naval tragedy — the very same one the sub was heading towards during its ill-fated dive.

Tunnel vision

• And, as Cameron noted, both disasters could have been prevented if only each captain had heeded the warnings they received beforehand.
• Smith disregarded telegrams from other ships earlier in the day warning about icebergs ahead.
• Instead of slowing his ship, he ordered full steam ahead, ultimately causing the loss of more than 1,500 lives.

The Titan’s fatal flaw

• The sphere’s shape evenly distributes the ambient pressure applied to it as the submersible dives.
• The Russian submersibles, Mir I and Mir II, that Cameron used to make the movie Titanic, were of this type.
• Instead of using titanium, he used thin layers of carbon fibre sandwiched together — like a surfboard, only stronger.
• An expert explains

  In addition to making the submersible bigger inside, carbon fibre also made the submersible lighter.

Investigations into the disaster

• As with the Titanic, there are now ongoing investigations into the Titan sub disaster.
• Both the U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada have announced their own investigations.
• Rush wasn’t the only participant in this disaster.

Preventing future disasters

• Recommendations about how to avoid future disasters are forthcoming.
• Charles Haas, the president of the Titanic Historical Society, said the wreck of the Titanic should now be declared off-limits to tourist submersibles.
• While Rush was focused on his submersible’s flawed design, he overlooked the biggest rule of all: Keep your crew safe.
• But there is a possibility for governing bodies like the United Nations International Maritime Organization to take action to prevent future disasters like this from occurring.

• EDMONTON, AB, May 31, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Calgary, following an engine failure and fire on a WestJet Encore aircraft.
• There were no injuries to the two flight crew and two flight attendants aboard the aircraft.
• The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
• It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

• RICHMOND, BC, March 8, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is issuing four recommendations aimed at enhancing the safety of tugs 15 gross tonnage (GT) or less.
• They are issued as part of the investigation ( M21P0030 ) into the 10 February 2021 sinking of the tug Ingenika in British Columbia (BC), which resulted in the death of two crew members.
• The TSB identified similar issues regarding its waiver process in occurrences involving the Ocean Monarch ( M17P0244 ) in 2017 and the Nathan E. Stewart ( M16P0378 ) in 2016.
• "The Ingenika investigation highlights ongoing concerns about safety management and regulatory surveillance , two major systemic safety issues in the transportation industry that are part of TSB Watchlist ," said Kathy Fox, Chair of the TSB.