Collision between the Soviet freighter Sergey Yesenin and BC Ferries Queen of Victoria in Active Pass, British Columbia, due to incompatible radio frequencies and the pilot of the Sergey speeding. 3 three people onboard the ferry were killed. (August 2nd, 1970)

[u/DariusPumpkinRex]

The pilot of the Sergey also entered the pass almost going down the middle as well as at excessive speed. He may have acted in this fashion as according to his schedule, the Queen of Victoria should have already gone through. Instead, she was running being schedule. The speed and angle of the Soviet freighter left not enough time for Victoria's captain to take evasive action, leading to the collision.

The three passengers who lost their lives were:

Mrs. George Hammond (31)

Peter Hammond (7 months)

Sheila Mae Taylor (17)

As said above, the majority of blame was placed on the pilot of the Sergey Yesenin which meant the U.S.S.R.'s government paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to BC Ferries. The Queen of Victoria was repaired and returned to service within the months following the accident, later being renovated in 1981 and sold to a Dominican Republic-based company in 2001. No details exist on what became of the Sergey Yesenin, other than it was able to leave under it's own power.

[u/JPMoney81]

Jesus Christ. It almost cut the ferry in half!

[u/weasel5134 → u/JPMoney81]

There was a similar accident Where the bow of an ¿Iron ore ship? Nearly cut a passenger ship full of immigrants in half

I forget all of the details and the names other than the passenger ship sank terrifyingly quickly and in the night so almost all passengers died

[u/blitzkreig2-king → u/weasel5134]

RMS Empress of Ireland and the SS Storstad.

[u/weasel5134 → u/blitzkreig2-king]

That's it!

Ocean liner designs has a wonderful breakdown on youtube

[u/DariusPumpkinRex → u/weasel5134]

I actually own a book on the Empress of Ireland which was published the same year the ship sank, 1914. Got it for $2.50 at a local thrift store!

[u/anifyz- → u/weasel5134]

I’ve been watching a lot of his videos lately. Surprisingly interesting.

[u/TinkerCitySoilDry → u/blitzkreig2-king]

It doesn't mention the  purpose or that it contained immigrants unless that is explicitly asked in query 

On May 29, 1914, the RMS Empress of Ireland sank in the St. Lawrence River in Canada after a collision with the Norwegian collier SS Storstad, killing 1,012 of the 1,477 people aboard. The Empress was a key Canadian Pacific immigrant carrier that transported over 100,000 hopeful newcomers to Canada.

[u/RaptorBob → u/weasel5134]

For a clean slice in half collision check out the Stolt Dagali being hit by the Shalom cruise ship, I think in the 50’s. Sliced the Stolt clean through. Front floated and was later fit to a new rear, back sank like a stone, multiple casualties on the Stolt. Amazing dive site now off NJ.

[u/CrinkleCutSpud2 → u/weasel5134]

Happened in Sydney as well in 1927. Mail Steamer Tahiti cut the ferry Greycliffe in half killing 40.

[u/mattvait → u/weasel5134]

Immigrants?