Investigators will examine a refloated fishing vessel Tuesday as they look for clues to why it sank Saturday in a Newfoundland harbour.

The 330-tonne Hamilton Banker was refloated Monday at the wharf in Harbour Grace, a large fishing town about 100 kilometres west of St. John's.

The Hamilton Banker sank hours after its cargo was unloaded early Saturday.
The Hamilton Banker sank hours after its cargo was unloaded early Saturday.
(CBC)
Salvage workers used pumps and cranes for hours to bring the vessel slowly to the surface.

Crews had unloaded turbot from the 34-metre vessel late Friday night, and finished their work in the early hours of Saturday morning. Within hours of their departure, the vessel had sunk.

"The next morning I came down around, I noticed everyone around … Sure enough, she was sunk," said crew member Lawson Duff.

Terry Harvey said crews have been carefully watching for environmental consequences of the sinking.
Terry Harvey said crews have been carefully watching for environmental consequences of the sinking.
(CBC)
The RCMP is collaborating with Transport Canada on its investigation of what caused the Hamilton Banker to sink.

"There are any number of things that could have happened there," said Cpl. Lindsay Anstey.

"Our main concern is whether the ship went down by accident or by design."

The Hamilton Banker was built in Norway in 1977, and was refurbished in Newfoundland in 1987. It has been owned by a number of companies over the years, most recently by a consortium that includes a Labrador Inuit organization.

The Harbour Grace fire department responded quickly to Saturday's sinking, but found there was little they could do to halt it.

"Our first concern was, 'Was there anyone on board?'" said Sonya Williams, who chairs the town's fire committee.

Terry Harvey, a senior response officer with the Canadian Coast Guard, said crews have been carefully watching for environmental consequences of the sinking.

"For the most part, for the amount of fuel on board, the size of the vessel, its been a very minimal release of oil at this point," Harvey said.

The Hamilton Banker is expected to be towed to a synchronized lift in Harbour Grace on Wednesday, to be lifted entirely out of the water.

The boat's owners and their insurers will be responsible for cleanup costs.