The accident happened off Petite Riviere St Francois sud about 40 miles downriver from Quebec City.We were down bound and had passed St Francois about 75 minutes earlier and we're excused from rescue work due to tide fog and the traffic. But as Hubert said it was over in about 90 minutes. I attended the court of it query in December as a friend was one of two assessors. The Roonagh Head lawyer asked the other master if he could see the light on the St Francois wharf .When he said he could the lawyer brought to the courts attention the Notice to Mariners advising that the light was out during the night of the
accident



he Notice to Mariner

She was involved in a collision on the St-Lawrence River July 20th 1963, while downbnd from Trois-Rivières to the sea. At 01h52, while navigating at full speed despite fog patches, she was forced to an emergency stop due to the ore carrier TRITONICA being on the wrong side of the channel. In addition to this mistakeTRITONICA was also proceeding at full speed despite a non-efficient radar and her emergency reaction was to turn to port side instead to starboard. She went right in front of the Roonagh Head bow. The cargo ripped open the Tritonica starboard side, at hold no 1 level. Tritonica had a full load of titane/iron ore, and was proceeding with her hatches open as well with her watertight doors also open. She sank in a matter of one to two minutes only. The crew in the wheelhouse remained trapped except for the master. Roonagh Head put three of her lifeboat in the water despite a very strong flood current in order to save as much seamen as possible from the Tritonica. Only 17 could be saved by her lifeboats and other vessels of opportunity. 33 lost their lives on the Tritonica. No injuries on the Roonagh Head which had a crew of 45 plus 12 passengers.

My first ship as an apprentice. July 1959 -June 1961
Belfast - Liverpool - Glasgow - Montreal - Detroit - Chicago - Milwaukee - Hamilton - Toronto - Montreal - Belfast.