Marine transportation safety investigation M14A0051
This investigation has been completed. The report was released 9 June 2015.
Table of contents
Incident involving the bulk carrier "John 1"
Bulk carrier John I
Off the southwest coast of
Newfoundland and Labrador
The occurrence
On 14 March 2014, the bulk carrier John I became disabled off the southwest coast of Newfoundland and Labrador due to flooding in the engine room. The vessel drifted approximately 41 nautical miles before grounding on the Rose Blanche Shoals the following day. There were no injuries, and all 23 crew members were evacuated by helicopter. It was reported that no pollutants were released.
Media materials
Deployment notice
Transportation Safety Board of Canada deploys a team to Rose Blanche, Newfoundland and Labrador, to investigate an incident involving the bulk carrier "John 1"
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 16 March 2014 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Rose Blanche, Newfoundland and Labrador, to investigate the grounding of the Bulk Carrier "John 1". The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
Investigation information
Map showing the location of the occurrence
Investigator-in-charge
Stéphane Chevalier joined the Transportation Safety Board of Canada as a Senior Investigator in 2011.
Prior to 2011, Mr. Chevalier worked as an inspector with Transport Canada and as Regional Director for the Professional Institute. He also worked as a project manager, Senior Business Service Manager, and Naval Architect Engineer, for the Department of National Defense in Victoria, British Columbia and as a Command Docking Officer and project engineer for the Submarine update program in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Mr. Chevalier is a professional engineer, a graduate of the University of Victoria's MBA program, a graduate of the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering Program of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and Naval Architecture program of the Institut Maritime du Québec, in Rimouski.
Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.
Class of investigation
This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- 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.
- 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.