Experienced B.C. charter captain says conditions ‘unsafe’ when boat sank leaving 6 presumed drown

On the day a charter boat sank, leaving six people presumed drowned, an experienced captain said he cancelled a trip due to conditions.

An experienced charter captain who works out of Steveston told CTV News he cancelled a paid excursion on Sunday because he deemed the conditions unsafe.

A different group of 10 people went out anyway and six of them are now presumed drowned after their vessel capsized and sank near Roberts Bank.

“You’ll see waves up to 10-feet tall, especially at the river mouth,” said Daniel MacLeod, owner of Pursuit Sport Fishing Charters.

He said a windy day in the strait, combined with high outflows on the south arm of the Fraser River gave him pause that day.

“To me that was a red flag saying it’s not only going to be uncomfortable, it’s going to be unsafe. So, we cancelled,” MacLeod said. “I’m speculating that they may have seen these same conditions.”

A couple in a sailboat were the first to arrive after the sinking and by then the boat was completely submerged.

They noticed five people in the water so they made a mayday call before doing everything they could to help as many people as possible.

Dorothy Stauffer said they managed to save three people before the Canadian Coast Guard arrived and rescued a fourth.

“None of them were wearing lifejackets and one of them had lost his clothing actually, from the waist up,” Stauffer said.

Two of the survivors were released from hospital on Monday and at that time police said two remained in critical condition.

Despite an extensive search, there has been no sign of the other six people or the boat, which RCMP say sank in very deep waters.

Authorities believe the boat was on a fishing trip and departed from Steveston.

It has not yet been made clear if it was operating as a licensed charter or in some other capacity.

Bill Riggs, CEO of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, told CTV News people looking to book excursions on the water need to be very cautious to make sure they choose a reputable company.

“You should really get a good feel for how serious they take your safety when you start getting the orientation briefing from them dockside before you leave,” he said. “You know, if they basically hand you the keys and say, ‘Hey, have a nice day,’ it’s probably not necessarily the company you want to be dealing with.”

Richmond RCMP did not provide an update Tuesday, except to say that it is reaching out to and supporting the families of the missing.

The agency did not say if the victims are thought to be locals or tourists.

The RCMP Underwater Recovery Team is currently assessing the situation to decide if it is safe to send divers to the wreckage or if it will be necessary to approach it with a remote unmanned submersible vehicle.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed it has also launched its own investigation.