'Exercise extreme caution': 40 shipping containers lost in rough seas off Vancouver Island
The Canadian Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard are warning boaters after 40 shipping containers were tossed from a cargo ship Friday in rough seas off Vancouver Island.
The containers were adrift approximately 69 kilometres west of Vancouver Island just before 3 p.m., according to U.S. officials.
The containers were adrift approximately 69 kilometres west of Vancouver Island just before 3 p.m., according to U.S. officials. (USCG)
The cargo vessel Zim Kingston was inbound for Vancouver when it listed to one side, dropping the containers into the ocean near the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the authorities said.
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center sent out a broadcast to mariners Friday afternoon warning that the lost containers may be partially submerged and not easily visible from the surface.
"Mariners should exercise extreme caution" when transiting the region, the centre warned.
The Canadian Coast Guard also sent out a notice on NavWarn about the affected area.
The containers were adrift approximately 69 kilometres west of Vancouver Island just before 3 p.m. Friday, according to U.S. officials. (USCG)
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Eight of the containers had been located by 4 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard's 13th District in Seattle, Wash.
Two of the lost containers contain hazardous materials that could spontaneously combust, the spokesperson said.
The Zim Kingston reported that two crushed containers on deck also contain the same hazardous and combustible material, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The containers were adrift approximately 69 kilometres west of Vancouver Island just before 3 p.m., according to U.S. officials. (USCG)
The Canadian Coast Guard says it is assessing the incident "to determine if there are pollution threats and hazards from the containers."
The organization says it's working with its U.S. counterparts under the Joint Response Team Canada-US Pacific Annex to monitor the situation.
The Maltese-flagged vessel was at the Constance Bank anchorage south of Victoria at 4:30 p.m. The Canadian Coast Guard says it is "currently safely at anchor."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.