Crane failure led to the death of fisherman aboard a fishing vessel last spring: TSB

The federal investigation into thedeath of a fisherman last yearin western Prince Edward Island found that crane failure led to the fatality.

Troy Jeffery died last April while working on an oyster barge off Poplar Grove, near Milligan's Wharf, P.E.I., on April 29, 2016.

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Jeffery was the manager of Five Star Shellfish in Ellerslie, P.E.I., a business he had co-owned with his brothers Wyatt and Gordon since 2001.

At the time of his death, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)did not have details on the contributing factors, but the reportfromits investigationwas released on Wednesday, more than a year after the fatal incident.

Flawed crane design

On that day last April, Jeffery was working over the side of a small barge, trying to untangle a securing line attached to a floating oyster cage beneath the elevated boom of a crane, the report said although it does not refer to Jeffery by name.

The crane design was flawed, explained Terry Hiltz, a senior investigator with the TSBregional office in Dartmouth, N.S.

According to Hiltz, the flaw caused a part of the crane to break. The boom and the rigging hit Jeffrey, killing him instantly.

The investigation also foundthat the crew and the company did not detect the design flaw, nor were they conducting a thorough visual inspection before each voyage.

In Canada, there are no regulations or standards requiring equipmentsuch as craneson this type of fishing vessel to be thoroughly inspected,according toHiltz.

"Without any kind of regulations or regulatory compliance or inspections or standards to be built to flaws in equipment can go by without anyone noticing," he added. "This particular vessel kind of fell through the cracks."

Lack of life jackets on shipnot a factor

TSBinvestigators also found there were no life jackets onboard the ship. Although the lack of life jackets didn't play a direct role in this particular death, a TSB news release pointed out that this is a common risk that has come up in some of its other investigations.

"With our department, we only can write a report, and put our findings out there so different government departments can read these findings and it's up to them to make changes," Hiltzsaid.

The safety board conducts investigations to find out what went wrong, but it's not their job to find blame, Hiltzexplained.

'We feel terrible for the family'

"I don't know where the actual responsibility lies," he said.

He also expressedhis condolences to the family.

"Our department we feel terrible for the family it's a terrible thing, and I'm hoping that this report can actually make a difference that this won't happen again."

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