Samantha J. (I)

On October 15, 2005 this vessel was struck by a barge in tow off Harmac after this vesse lost power. One crew swam ashore and the other leaped onto a chip barge. The ferries Quinsam and Queen of New Westminster attended the scene. William Frankling reported (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 12/10/2014) that "Last Monday the tug 'Samantha J' owned by Jones Marine Group from Chemainus was overcome by the barge it was towing resulting in her sinking in about 230 feet of water in Northumberland Channel by Gabriola Bluffs. The crew were able to climb aboard the barge and except for a minor cut were only a little cold, wet and shaken.

They were taken ashore to a waiting ambulance. John Lucas and a fellow employee were the first responders to the incident and aided in the safe recovery of the barge which was attached to the sunken vessel. As of Wednesday evening the vessel had stopped leaking fuel and it will be up to the Nanaimo Port Authority, Coastguard and Fisheries to determine if the vessel can remain on the bottom or be recovered." Colin Henthorne (Email to Nauticapedia 27/02/2019) states that "the Tug Samantha J is now the subject of a recovery operation. Recovery operations are scheduled for the remainder of this week. Nanaimo Port Authority, Transport Canada, Global Salvage, AMIX, and the Coast Guard’s environmental response department are involved." this vessel was reported by Jeff Oud (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group April 1, 2019) that "Jones Marine's "Samantha J" ex "Northumberland Navigator" being lifted off the bottom for the third time. This vessel was down 3 years in Northumberland Channel. Amix Marine's Arctic Tuk doing the lift."