Name John B. King Fate Sank 26 June 1930 Beam 50 ft (15 m) | Launched 1863 Length 140 ft (43 m) | |
The John B. King explosion was a Canadian maritime disaster on June 26, 1930, when a drill boat containing dynamite was struck by lightning near Brockville, Ontario. Thirty people were killed.
The scow was off the point of Cockburn Island working on blasting a St Lawrence Seaway channel through Brockville narrows, and had drilled several holes of dynamite. At 4:30 pm, while it was drilling another, a bolt of lightning struck the boat, travelling down the drill, and igniting the dynamite on the river floor.
The explosion was witnessed by United States Coast Guard Cutter 211, which then rescued 12 members of the crew of 42.
A memorial plaque was erected on the north-west corner of Cockburn Island by the Department of Public Works Canada.
The wreck is now located west of Cockburn Island and at 80 ft. It is a popular dive site, with some divers losing their lives while diving the wreck.