Canada whale-watching deaths are a tragedy, but risk can never be entirely eliminated

Maritime safety is built on the lessons learned from the past, and new precautions will doubtless be introduced to avoid future calamities

Five Britons have died and another person was still lost at sea on after a boat carrying a whale-watching expedition capsized off Vancouver Island in western Canada (Reuters)

For anyone seeking the great outdoors, Canada is a compelling destination. From the easternmost coast of Newfoundland to the western shores of British Columbia, the nation offers the prospect of adventure.

Statistically, the country in which many people seek the trip of lifetime is also very safe - which makes the tragedy off the coast of Vancouver Island all the more shocking.

The victims began Sunday eagerly awaiting a remarkable encounter. Each day through the summer, thousands of tourists board boats to observe whales in their habitats in the waters off Canada’s glorious shores.

Whale-watching is an enthralling activity that 21st-century travellers are uniquely placed to enjoy.

A standard trip, whether from the coast of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec or Vancouver Island, lasts three or four hours in the company of a few dozen other tourists. It provides the near-guaranteed prospect of sighting of the world’s largest mammals, thanks to a well-organised maritime grapevine that reports on the most fruitful locations.

In my experience on several Canadian outings, whale-watching is a wonderful experience. Whales like to show off. They spout, then surface and sometimes leap, taunting sightseers who usually discover later their cameras have caught only the perfect splash

Like the rest of Canada’s travel industry, whale-watching is a professionally run business. Crews and vessels are rigorously regulated, with particular attention paid to emergency equipment. Day-trippers get a safety briefing at the start of each voyage, though on the whale-watching voyages I have taken the biggest risk that concerned me was that the cetaceans might stay hidden.

Canadian officials will meticulously investigate what went so terribly wrong. For the grieving relatives, their report will provide some answers.

New precautions will doubtless be introduced in a bid to ensure that no similar calamity befalls whale-watchers in future. Maritime safety is built on the lessons learned from previous tragedies. But even in welcoming, well-ordered nations, risk can be managed but never entirely eliminated.