Coast guard hovercraft damaged in collision with sailboat off B.C. coast
A Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft sustained damage after colliding with a sailboat near Salt Spring Island on Monday evening.
The hovercraft CCGS Siyay was transporting advanced life-support paramedics to Ganges Harbour to medevac a patient to Vancouver around 5:45 p.m.
Coast guard officials say the craft was travelling at eight knots – approximately 15 km/h – in the harbour when an unlit sailboat that was anchored outside the common anchorage area suddenly appeared in front of the vessel.
"The captain of the Siyay was able to perform an emergency maneuver and avoid direct contact with the sailboat," coast guard spokesperson Kiri Westnedge said in a statement Tuesday.
"However, there was contact on the starboard side of the hovercraft and the bowsprit of the sailboat (a spar that extends from a sailboat’s bow)," she added.
Westnedge says the sailboat was not detected on the hovercraft's radar.
No one was aboard the sailboat when the vessels collided. The paramedics and the seven-person hovercraft crew were uninjured in the crash, according to the coast guard.
The rescuers were able to complete the medevac to Vancouver.
"We are assessing the damage to the hovercraft," Westnedge said. "The lifeboat station remains ready to respond to search and rescue incidents. We are also attempting to locate the owner of the sailboat."
The coast guard says it regularly provides medevac services, including via hovercraft, "in situations where access to a location is over challenging terrain, or it is faster or easier to respond via water."
The Siyay, measuring 28.5 metres long and 12 metres wide, is one of four hovercrafts operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. It is capable of travelling up to 50 knots – or 93 km/h – over water, and can also travel over ice and land.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.