VICTORIA -- Mounties have rescued two people from the water after their boat sank near Saturna Island.
RCMP officers were patrolling the Strait of Georgia, near the Southern Gulf Islands, to enforce the Quarantine Act amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday when a distress call came over their marine radio.
The officers heard the mayday call just after 10 a.m. indicating that a vessel was sinking and two people aboard were abandoning ship.
The police boat arrived on scene near Boat Pass, between Saturna Island and Samuel Island, and found the vessel almost fully submerged.
Police say the vessel's life raft was still attached to the sinking boat.
Two people were found in the water wearing lifejackets and clinging to floating items, police said Thursday.
Investigators believe the boat struck something while traversing Boat Pass and immediately began to take on water.
"The captain anchored the sinking ship and attempted to use the life raft, but due to the boat sinking so quickly the system to release it did not function," the RCMP said.
"The 34-foot boat sank in approximately 40 feet of water and will be recovered in the future," police said. "Fortunately, neither person on board was injured."
