Stunning testimony at the trial for the navigating officer of the Queen of the North.

Former ferry captain Colin Henthorne says he wasn't fired because of the sinking, but rather because of what he said during an inquiry after the sinking.
 
Henthorne says the BC Ferry inquiry held after the sinking asked him one specific question: "Had he ever brought up safety issues before?"

His answer: "Yes, for the last 17 years -- a long list."

He says inquiry commissioners then became irate with him, even hostile and forceful.

Henthorne says he never got a satisfactory answer about his safety concerns over the years.

When asked under cross-examination how he was eventually fired, Henthorne said he was told over the phone.

He said he wasn't really given a reason, other than that BC Ferries had lost confidence in him because of his attitude during the inquiry.

The navigation system on the doomed ferry Queen of the North had serious navigation flaws, that's part of the testimony from the from the former captain at the B.C. Supreme Court trial of the navigating officer.

Colin Henthorne has  described serious problems with the electronic chart system on the ferry.

He says there were always questions about the system's accuracy and crews would  often discuss the problem and bring it up with superious.

Henthorne says the best example is when the ferry eas docked  in Prince Rupert and the chart system showed the vessel three miles away.

He is also testified that the new digital radar system on board the vessel also had problems.

He says  the ability to differntiate targets was earier with the  old analog radar system.