Queen of the North ferry captain prayed for ‘miracle’ night of fatal crash

If you haven't read this exclusive interview with Colin Henthorne, the captain of the Queen of the North ferry that sunk in 2006, it is worth a look.

The interview, with CBC News, tells a story of remorse and broken-hearted longing from a man who once considered the doomed vessel to be his home.

"It just settled lower and lower in the water and as I was watching it, all I could think about was 'my beautiful ship,'" Henthorne said as he recalled watching from an escape raft. "Alternately praying for a miracle that would save it and, if that wasn't happening, just hurry up and get it over with."

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Henthorne was at first hailed as a hero for leading an evacuation that saved the lives of all but two passengers on board the Queen of the North on March 22, 2006. He was later fired by BC Ferries, a decision that survived union appeal.

He was never accused of being directly responsible for the sinking, but as captain it appeared to be his destiny to go down with the ship. Henthorne told CBC News he had years of personal struggle and professional uncertainty but has now found some sense of peace and works for the Canadian Coast Guard's Rescue Centre.

Henthorne's interview appears timed to coincide with the conclusion of a trial against one of his former officers.

Karl Lilgert, the on-duty officer who has been charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death, awaits word from a jury on his fate.

Lilgert claims the ferry ran aground after being blown off course, while the ship's charting system recorded that it had run a straight line until striking Gil Island in the middle of the night on March 22, 2006.

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The crash ended with the Queen of the North sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Passengers and crew abandoned the sinking vessel, but two passengers were never recovered and are believed to have died in the crash.

The Canadian Press reports that a jury is deliberating on whether Lilgert's actions are responsible for the deaths.

Henthorne doesn't mention the trial or Lilgert's actions the night of the crash. But he does speak in some detail about the missing passengers, Gerald Foisy and Shirley Rosette.

He says a head count during the evacuation suggested everyone was accounted for. It wasn't until passengers and crew members had been picked up by the coast guard that it was revealed two people were missing.

"I don't know how they could've disappeared, I simply don’t know," he said. Nobody noticed that they were not there. ... There weren't that many places that they should've been. They could've been somewhere where they weren't authorized to be, I don’t know."