Nicherei Maru (motor Vessel)

On June 9 the Japanese motor vessel Nicherei Maru collided with the Alaska Cruise Lines' passenger vessel Glacier Queen in dense fog 16 miles west of Prince Rupert. The Japanese freighter was outbound for Japan from Kitimat, while the Glacier Queen was returning to Vancouver from Alaska. Three of the 110 passengers aboard the Canadian liner suffered minor injuries. Both vessels sustained considerable damage above the waterline, but were able to proceed to port under their own power. Capt. N. Omori of the Nicherei Maru testified later that he did not pick up the Glacier Queen on the radar and that he and the B.C. pilot, Capt. Hill Wilson, who was conning the ship, were only warned that they were on a collision course when the Glacier Queen sounded a long whistle blast at a distance of about 600 yards. Chief officer Joseph Oeselg, officer of the watch on the Glacier Queen, stated that he first sighted the approaching freighter on the radar screen at a distance of 3.3 miles and warned Capt. William McCombe. The

Citation: Tacoma Public Library