Charges Laid in Ferry Crash

Описание: VICTORIA - Criminal charges have been laid against one of the former officers onboard the Queen of the North nearly four years to the day after it sank.
On March 22nd, 2006 the BC ferry rammed into Gil Island and sank about 175 kilometres south of Prince Rupert. Two passengers died in the disaster - Gerald Foisy and Shirley Rosette.

Karl Lilgert was the officer in charge on the bridge that fateful night and he is accused of criminal negligence causing death.

Lilgert's lawyer says he will plead "not guilty."

Crown lawyers say it is the first time in Canada the charge has been laid in connection to a ferry crash.

The President of BC Ferries hopes the charge will finally provide some closure for the families and passengers onboard the ship when it went down.

Investigations by BC Ferries and the Transportation Safety Board failed to determine exactly what happened in the crucial 20 minutes before the crash.

What is known is that the ill -fated ferry failed to make a scheduled turn 14 minutes before the crash.

91 passengers and crew made it off the ship into lifeboats and were rescued that night.

Gerald Foisy and Shirley Rosette did not. A court later declared them dead as their bodies never recovered.

Karl Lilgert and Karen Bricker, the two officers on the bridge at the time of the crash, were fired by BC Ferries, but the Crown says the evidence warranted charges against Lilgert.

The Crown acknowledges a significant amount of time has passed since the Queen of the North sank, but it believes there is a reasonable chance of conviction.

The family of Shirley Rosette, while happy that charges have been laid, believes the Crown didn't go far enough.

Karl Lilgert is expected to make his first court appearance in a Vancouver courtroom on April 14th.