TSB cites safety gaps in Woodfibre LNG boat collision near Squamish

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board says a series of communication and visibility failures contributed to a 2024 collision between a tugboat and a workboat near Squamish, British Columbia. The incident happened on Dec. 18, 2024, in the marine safety zone for the Woodfibre LNG project, about seven kilometres southwest of Squamish. According to the final report, a tug pushing a barge to the project’s worker housing platform struck an idling workboat, sinking it. One crew member was rescued and treated for hypothermia after the crash. The TSB said the tug master’s view was blocked by nearby structures and made worse by glare from site lighting and vessels. It also found that the workboat operator had not received notice of the tug’s arrival, and that safety risks had not been formally assessed across contractors on site. The board said operators have since improved lookout and communication procedures and limited barge movement to daylight hours.