Four rescued after boat capsizes east of Vancouver Island
Four people were rescued near Savary Island off the east coast of Vancouver Island on Thursday evening after the vessel they were travelling in capsized.
According to Second Lieutenant Vatsal Shah of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the incident took place around 9 p.m. about 800 meters off of a beach on Savary.
The group was travelling on a 3.6-metre pleasure craft when it capsized.
"There were four people in the water and one of the persons from the boat using their cell phone made the call," said Shah.
The JRCC spokesperson initially said one of the overboard passengers attempted to swim to shore and was picked up by a boat in the area, while the other three were pulled from the water by the coast guard vessel Cape Caution.
CTV News Vancouver Island has since been contacted by the operator of the civilian boat, who says he was the first to pick up all four passengers, and later transferred them to the coast guard.
In a phone interview with CTV News on Saturday, the boater - who didn't want to be identified by name - said he was returning to Savary Island from fishing when he heard someone screaming for help.
It was the man who had attempted to swim to shore. When the civilian boater picked him up, he said there were three other people in the water.
So, the pair set out to find them, but the task proved difficult in the setting sun and rough seas. They called 911, then saw a light on the water. It was coming from the cellphone of one of the distressed boaters.
They were able to follow the light to the distressed boaters and pull them aboard. Coast guard crews arrived soon after.
Vessel tracking at the time of the incident shows that a BC Ferries vessel travelling between Powell River and Comox, as well one from Powell River to Texada Island, began making their way to the incident before they returned to their regular routes.
A Cormorant helicopter from 19 Wing Comox was also dispatched to the scene.
Shah says the four were taken to Powell River and then transferred to hospital by ambulance. All four are in good condition.
What caused the vessel to capsize is still unclear.
"We’re not sure. It’s most likely that it was overloaded, because there were four people on there, and it was just a 12-foot-pleasure craft," Shah said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.