History
Canada
Name	"Margaret Jane"
Owner	Adams & Knickle
Port of registry	Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Builder	Snyders Shipyard
Launched	1965
Identification	IMO number:  6621222
Fate	Collision with Cape Beaver on July 31, 1980
General characteristics
Tonnage	108 tons [2]
Length	105 ft (32 m) [1]
Sail plan	Stern trawler

The FV Margaret Jane was a Canadian stern trawler based out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Built in 1965 at Snyder's Shipyard in Dayspring, she was owned by fishing company Adams & Knickle. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

Collision and sinking

On July 31, 1980, Margaret Jane was returning an injured crew member to Lunenburg after three days of scallop fishing with an 18-member crew. ^{[4] [7] [8]} Cape Beaver, a steel-plated 160-foot wetfish trawler owned by National Sea Products, was undergoing her first shakedown cruise in Nova Scotia waters and had dignitaries on board. ^{[1] [4] [9] [10]}

At approximately 12:00 p.m. ( ADT), Margaret Jane was hit on the port side by Cape Beaver in dense fog. ^{[10] [11]} The incident occurred about six kilometers from Lunenburg, near West Ironbound Island. ^{[4] [11]} The large ice-cutting ball on the bow of Cape Beaver sliced through the side of the Margaret Jane. ^[1] After the collision, some crewmembers jumped overboard into the Atlantic Ocean and others scrambled into the boat's life raft. ^[10] Within two minutes, the Margaret Jane was submerged by water and sank. ^{[1] [11]} Four crewmembers of the Margaret Jane died in the incident. ^[11] Some crew members from Cape Beaver jumped into a life boat and helped rescue survivors. ^[1] The Cape Beaver boat and crew was not injured and returned to the National Sea Products wharf with rescued crew members from the Margaret Jane. ^[4] Four injured men were taken to hospital in the incident and the other 10 members of the crew were unharmed after being rescued. ^[4]

A television film crew from CBC was aboard Cape Beaver and captured footage of the collision and aftermath. ^[12] The video footage was aired on national television across the United States. ^{[13] [14] [15]}

Casualties

Three of the four crew members who died were originally from Newfoundland. ^[4] The fourth was Kelly Crouse, a 16-year-old from Brockville, Ontario who went on the fishing trip while on vacation with his parents. ^[11]

Inquiry

On September 4, 1980, Transport Minister Jean-Luc Pépin ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. ^[16] The inquiry was held before Justice A. Gordon Cooper of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court Appeals Division. ^[17] Captain Morris Nowe, skipper of the Cape Beaver, testified that there was no liquor aboard the ship when it collided with the Margaret Jane. ^[17]

References