Communiqués

TSB # M05/2006

(Gatineau, Quebec, March 25, 2006) - Under the authority of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has seized the vessel Queen of the North and all its contents and appurtenances for the purpose of its investigation into this transportation occurrence.

Also, under the authority of the same Act, the TSB will be controlling access to the area immediately surrounding the place where the vessel is located to preserve and protect the vessel and to allow the necessary authorities to take the required actions to preserve and protect the environment. This procedure will not prevent the RCMP from having access to the site for the purpose of their on-going search for the two missing passengers. This order shall be in force for such a period as is necessary for the investigation.

TSB investigators are still conducting interviews with passengers, witnesses and crew. These interviews are normal procedures and essential to the investigation process. In the coming days, the investigators will continue to gather information from various sources.

Under the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act, the TSB has the exclusive jurisdiction to investigate this occurrence in order to make findings as to its causes and contributing factors.

The TSB is an independent agency operating under its own Act of Parliament. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

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