Four people have been rescued from the waters off the coast of Greater Vancouver after a massive search was launched Sunday near Sea Island in British Columbia.
In a statement, the B.C. RCMP say that a charter boat sank off the coast of Richmond and that it’s believed ten people were on board the vessel when it began taking on water near Roberts Bank around 11:45 a.m. Sunday.
The search is ongoing approximately 10 nautical miles (18 km) southwest of Vancouver International Airport.
The Canadian Armed Forces says its Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria was notified by a civilian vessel of several people in the Strait of Georgia without personal flotation devices.
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A CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft from 19 Wing Comox, alongside the Canadian Coast Guard’s Hovercraft Siyay, and Main Lifeboat Station Ganges, were all dispatched.
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The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Auxiliary stations 6, 7 and 8 were also sent to conduct a rescue and search for more people.
Mounties say two boats from West Coast Marine Services are assisting, along with two helicopters, an RCMP Black Hawk and an H145 Airbus.
Passenger ferries from BC Ferries and Hullo Ferries were also diverted from their normal operations between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland to help in the search.
As of Sunday night, four people have been taken to hospital for medical treatment, while police confirm six people remain missing.
The cause for the vessel’s sinking is not known and is under investigation.
I don’t want to be insensitive, but how does that happen…
60% of people on board drowned? Did they not know how to swim or were they all drunk? Its impressive how bad this went, if you cant swim why on earth did you get on a boat WITHOUT a life jacket. If you do know how to swim and you managed to drown here I don’t know what to tell ya… Darwinism I suppose.
What company was this charter vessel from? No mayday/911 call? No life jackets? No lifeboat? Sounds a bit dodgy. Did they even have a permit to carry out charters? Not much info here.
Know where the life jackets are!