2 rescued after boat catches fire, sinks off Vancouver Island
Two people were rescued after their boat caught fire off Qualicum Beach, B.C., north of Parksville, on Monday afternoon.
Reports of the fire came in around noon, according to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) spokesperson Sub-Lt. Wilson Ho.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria dispatched the Canadian Coast Guard's fast response craft, French Creek One, to the fire aboard a 12-metre vessel.
Once there, emergency crews picked up two people from the burning vessel, according to Ho. The pair were then taken to paramedics on shore for assessment.
According to the coast guard, the boat was located about one nautical mile away from shore.
The fire was reported around noon Monday. (Court Brooker)
The vessel had about 1,000 litres of diesel on board, as well as three propane tanks.
The boat burned for most of the day before it sank in 300 feet (90 metres) of water Monday evening, according to the coast guard.
Coast guard members reported that most of the fuel onboard had burned throughout the day, and that there was a "minimal non-recoverable sheen" around 8 p.m.
A coast guard environmental response team is back in the area Tuesday to monitor for fuel leakage from the remains of the boat, according to Ho.
The coast guard says it's currently unclear how the fire started.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.