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Marine transportation safety investigation M18A0075

This investigation has been completed. The report was released on 03 December 2018.

Table of contents

Grounding of fishing vessel Roping the Wind

Fishing vessel Roping the Wind
Hardys Channel, Prince Edward Island

View final report

The occurrence

On 30 April 2018, the fishing vessel Roping the Wind, with five people on board, grounded in Hardys Channel, near Malpeque Bay, Prince Edward Island. The ebbing tide from the northeast turned the vessel to port, exposing the starboard side to the waves. The vessel began to founder as the waves broke over the starboard bulwark, flooding the vessel. Nearby fishing boats rescued four of the crew members from the grounded vessel. The fifth fisherman was pulled from the water. Four crew members were taken to hospital and treated from hypothermia; one fisherman did not require medical attention.

No pollution was reported.


Media materials

News release

2018-12-03

Investigation report: April 2018 grounding of a fishing vessel in Hardys Channel, Prince Edward Island
Read the news release

Deployment notice

2018-05-01

TSB deploys a team to Malpeque Bay, Prince Edward Island, following the sinking of the fishing vessel Roping the Wind

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 1 May 2018 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Malpeque Bay, Prince Edward Island, following the sinking of the fishing vessel Roping the Wind. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.


Investigation information

Map showing the location of the occurrence


Investigator-in-charge

Photo of Gerard Kruithof

Gerard Kruithof has been a senior marine investigator at the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) since 2017. Prior to joining the TSB, he worked at Transport Canada for eight years as a senior marine safety inspector. He was also a surveyor with Lloyd’s Register for three years.

Mr. Kruithof has ten years' sailing experience on several types of foreign-going ships and holds a First Class Marine Engineer's Certificate for motor vessels.


  Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.

Class of investigation

This is a class 4 investigation. These investigations are limited in scope, and while the final reports may contain limited analysis, they do not contain findings or recommendations. Class 4 investigations are generally completed within 220 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.

TSB investigation process

There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation

  1. Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
  2. Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
  3. Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.

For more information, see our Investigation process page.

The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. 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.