Investigation underway after on-duty lighthouse keeper dies alone, west of Prince Rupert, B.C.
The Canadian Coast Guard and a federal workers' agency are investigating after an on-duty lighthouse keeper died in April at a station just off the coast of northwestern B.C., about 40 kilometres west of Prince Rupert.
The Triple Island Lighthouse station is supposed to be staffed by a principal and assistant lightkeeper at all times, but due to a shift change, the coast guard says the man was alone when he died.
The lighthouse is located on the northwesterly rock of a group of three islets known as the Triple Islands and was built in 1920 to guide marine traffic travelling north up B.C.'s coast to Alaska, as well as for deepsea ships navigating to and from Prince Rupert.
The remote station is only accessible by helicopter.
On the afternoon of April 2, the coast guard says it tried to contact the lightkeeper multiple times. Hearing nothing back, it sent a nearby helicopter to conduct a wellness check on him.
When the pilot arrived, they found the lightkeeper unresponsive and called 911. B.C. Emergency Health Services arrived on site and pronounced the man dead.
The RCMP and two members from the coast guard's Prince Rupert station travelled to Triple Island before turning the matter over to Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department responsible for working conditions, for further investigation.
The department will be investigating whether the Canadian Coast Guard is in compliance with the Canada Labour Code. Under the Code, federally regulated employers must protect the health and safety of every employee while at work, and ensure they have the necessary information, training and supervision to perform their jobs safely.
WorkSafeBC has said that because the incident took place at a federal workplace, it is outside of its jurisdiction.
"This was a very, very tragic event and very sad that it had to happen," said Jim Abram, a retired lighthouse keeper and former local president of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE), which represents lighthouse keepers.
Lighthouse should have had 2 people, retired keeper says
Abram says the Triple Island Lighthouse Station is extremely important for providing weather observations for marine and aviation traffic, and is concerned that the lighthouse keeper was alone at the time of his death.
He says the station is staffed on a rotational basis where two keepers will work a 10- to 14-day shift and then are replaced by two other keepers.
"Remote isolated stations are not supposed to be staffed by a single person, so that has always been the case as long as I've been a keeper," he said.
Abram says his understanding of what happened in April is that when the two outgoing keepers were picked up during the shift change, only one keeper was dropped off with the supplies.
The coast guard hasn't provided details on why the lighthouse keeper was alone at the time of shift change, but Abram is hopeful the investigation will shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the keeper's death.
"In this situation, if there are safety measures that can be taken, if it was a safety issue, then those safety issues need to be remedied by the coast guard," he said.
"It's been extremely devastating for the other three keepers. All of them have been extremely distraught because of this. Having somebody die right there on your station is not a happy event."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
STANLY HELMUT HUBBIE
Adjust Text Size: A+ A- STANLY HELMUT HUBBIE (aka Stacius Helmutius Algonuis Virkutis) With great sadness, sorrow, and much love, we mourn the passing of Stanly (Helmut) Hubbie, at the age of 67. Stan came to reside at Deer Lodge Chronic care in November 2019, following his June journey of critical care at HSC. Stan suffered a cerebellar CVA stroke, respiratory failure requiring a permanent tracheostomy, PEG, and J tube feeds to aspiration risk. He was dependent on care and required a Hoyer lift and two assists for all transfers to and from his wheelchair. He was unable to vocalize and used various devices to is survived by his partner/husband of 42 years, Gordon; his siblings, Al (Bob) Virkutis, Monika Virkutis, Rosemary McKay, the Wilson family, numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, neighbours, countless friends, both personal and business. Especially our dearest friend Dave Kenyon; the Kenyon family and extended embraced Deer Lodge and strived to connect and communicate to make a difference to those around him. He found creative ways to entertain and connect with residents/staff of lodge 6 and 7; with his cue cards, ever changing room decorations with flashing lights, dancing\signing robotic characters, slot machines and his collection of was recently awarded a certificate of appreciation from the RCMP in recognition of his contribution and support towards the launch of 'Communication Matters' A shared goal of inclusivity for those impacted by communication will be remembered for his humour, playful spirit, work ethic, work barbeques and the warmth he shared with friends, family, and the many people in his life he charmed with humour and kindness. He lived a life of resilience, community, and love. Always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed assistance, be it family, friend, stranger, run away pet or injured animal on the side of the road. Stan lived by the expression, 'What you put into the lives of others, comes back to you.' In accordance with his wishes, a private service has taken place. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Main Street Projects or a charity of your choice or do a random act of kindness for someone in his name. Tribute Link: As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 21, 2025 Offer Condolences or Memory Share your memories and/or express your condolences below. Fields marked with a * are required. All others are optional. Unfortunately with the need to moderate tributes for inappropriate content, your comments may take up to 48 hours to appear. Thank you for your understanding.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
2 years behind schedule, the Pattullo Bridge replacement nears completion
Social Sharing An 80-metre gap is all that separates the main bridge deck from the north ramp of B.C.'s Pattullo Bridge replacement. High above the Fraser River, construction crews work to connect the two sides, one rebar at a time. The space may look vast, but engineer Wendy Itagawa says it's a relatively small section of the bridge's 1,200-metre length. "We're getting really close now," said Itagawa, who is the executive director of the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project. "We're installing the cables and the deck, and we'll be connecting to the north side later this summer." The project broke ground in 2020 and has faced years of delays, but Itagawa says it's on track now for its fall 2025 opening. About 450 people regularly work on the $1.673-billion infrastructure project, which will replace the aging Pattullo Bridge that connects New Westminster and Surrey. Aging Pattullo and delays Built in the 1930s, the Pattullo Bridge serves about 60,000 drivers daily. But over the past two decades, concerns over the bridge's safety and integrity have mounted. In 2016, a report presented to TransLink's board of directors showed the bridge did not meet modern wind and seismic safety standards. The report to Metro Vancouver's transit authority recommended the bridge be replaced by no later than 2024. The province greenlit a new bridge in 2018. Two years later, in 2020, a team of contractors collectively known as the Fraser Crossing Partners was awarded a $967.5-million contract to replace the bridge. Construction began that February. WATCH | 5 years in the making, Pattullo Bridge replacement nears completion: New Pattullo Bridge connecting Surrey, New Westminster nears completion 1 day ago Duration 2:55 After a lengthy construction period, the new Pattullo Bridge, connecting Surrey and New Westminster, is almost finished. This new crossing will replace the existing bridge, located just a few hundred metres away. CBC's Jon Hernandez ascended high onto the bridge deck to observe the ongoing construction. About a year into construction, the opening of the bridge was delayed from 2023 to 2024. At the time, the government attributed delays to on-site investigative work and permitting holdups due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, it was delayed until fall 2025, with officials citing inflationary pressures and global supply issues. The province also said the 167-metre bridge tower, the tallest of it's kind in B.C., took longer to build than expected. New bridge, new name The current Pattullo Bridge has four lanes of traffic. Opposing directions of traffic are divided by plastic stakes and pedestrians and cyclists share a single sidewalk crossing the bridge. Over the years, Surrey and New Westminster have been at odds over how many lanes the replacement should have, with Surrey advocating for a six-lane bridge, but New Westminster wanting to maintain four. The province says the replacement bridge will have four lanes, a decision made following community consultation and based on current road network capacity limits. However, the bridge is wide enough to be expanded into six lanes in the future. There will be dedicated walking and bike paths on both sides of the bridge, along with a centre median. And it won't share its predecessor's namesake. Itagawa says as part of the project's cultural recognition program, the bridge's new name will reflect the Fraser River's significance to local First Nations, including the Musqueam and Kwantlen nations. Indigenous artwork The project will also feature artwork from Kwantlen First Nation artist Phyllis Atkins, whose design featuring sturgeon and eulachon will be engraved on the Highway 17 overpass at Old Yale Road. The design includes replicas of sturgeon scutes, the bone plates the fish have on their backs. Atkins says she was inspired by her time studying the fish along the Fraser River. "It was life changing being right on the river in our unceded traditional territory of Kwantlen. We had sites right up and down the Fraser," said Atkins. "I got to see first-hand the perspective of the river our people used to travel and fish for thousands of years. I really felt that connection."
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
‘Not a solution': Surrey parents push back on staggered school start times
The Surrey School District Education Centre is seen in this photo. The Surrey School District is facing a classroom crunch, which comes as no surprise given it's the largest school district in the province and expected to add 850 students next year. But district officials are now considering year-round schooling in the future. And for next September, some schools are set to face scheduling changes that have parents pushing back. 'It's a Band-Aid. It's not a solution,' said Liang, a parent at Fraser Heights Secondary. The severely overcrowded school is moving to staggered start times. 'It's very concerning for our parent community,' she said. Liang said the change will create conflicts that will limit the ability of some kids to participate in clubs and other extra-curricular activities. 'It's also very confusing to the parents and the students. Which day should I go to school? Which block do I have (at) school?' she said. But Surrey School Board vice-chair Terry Allen said with 85,000 students and hundreds more enrolling every year – the district is running out of space. 'We're not getting any new schools and we're not getting any new classroom space, so if we wish to continue offering schooling at those schools, something has to take place,' he said. 'It is my hope that parents will go to administration or the vice-principal and talk these issues through,' said Allen. 'Every day is different' By September, there will be eight schools using the staggered schedule and some parents are already giving it a failing grade. 'I think it just adds that little bit more stress. You roll with it. You get used to it, but that doesn't make the impact any less,' said Cindy Dalglish, whose daughter attends Salish Secondary. 'Day one she starts at 8 a.m. Day two she starts at 9:22 a.m. Wednesdays they alternate between 8 a.m. and 9:11 a.m. Flex days they shorten their classes by 11 minutes. So, every day is different,' Dalglish explained, adding that the changes are tough on working parents and staff. 'The staff have been fantastic, but I feel for them because they're taking on those downward pressures from the district,' she said. Liang said Fraser Heights parents weren't consulted and weren't allowed to voice their concerns at a school board meeting. 'The reality is when it comes to the extended day, that decision's been made,' said Allen. He said the staggered schedule only creates 15 per cent more space for students, just one extra block, but it had to be done. 'We're also in discussions around year-round schooling. That's how serious we're taking the shortage of classroom space in this district,' he explained. Meanwhile, it appears there's little hope of the district dropping the schedule change anytime soon. 'It's not acceptable. It's a bit ridiculous,' said Liang.
