Caught on camera: Tugboat capsizes off Vancouver Island
A tugboat assisting in towing a barge with two homes on it ended up capsizing near Point Holmes off Comox, Vancouver Island.
The incident happened just after 7 p.m. Thursday as two tugboats were guiding the barge to shore. During the trip, the smaller tugboat, called a "dozer tug," flipped.
"It was just a quick jerk and the next thing you know the little boat just completely flipped over," says Marie Racine, who was on shore hoping to see the barge offload the homes.
The tug didn't right itself and Racine says it took the tugboat operator 20 to 30 seconds to resurface, which seemed like an eternity at the time.
"It was intense to see it capsize but way more intense to see the time period where this man was (underwater)," Racine says. "Is he going to come up? Is he going to live? And thank god that he did."
The man was able to climb up onto the hull of the ship and was rescued immediately by the other tugboat and people aboard the barge.
Racine says the capsized boat ended up being tied to the barge and the barge did not make it the shore that evening.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) says it was aware of the incident but did not deploy resources at the time. The JRCC adds that is not that uncommon for these types of tugboats to flip.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.