Six people are presumed drowned after a charter boat sank near Vancouver on Sunday, according to Canadian authorities. The search for the missing individuals was called off on Monday evening, with officials stating that they have “exhausted all possibilities of finding anyone on the surface alive”.
The incident occurred about 10 miles off the coast of Vancouver, where the charter boat began to take on water near Roberts Bank, after departing from Steveston, a historical fishing community in Richmond, British Columbia. Three survivors were rescued by a couple on a sailboat in the area, and a fourth person was rescued by search crews.
Charter Boat Accident
The search involved passenger ferries, Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) boats, helicopters, and airplanes. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the ship to sink, and the identities of those who remain missing have not been released. A couple on a sailboat, Brian Angus and Dorothy Stauffer, rescued three people from the water and are being credited with saving lives by alerting authorities to the emergency.
The survivors reported that there were 10 people on board when the vessel sank, and that none of the people in the water were wearing life jackets. An underwater recovery team will attend the area in the coming days to locate the capsized vessel using sonar, and will then decide whether it is possible to dive to the sunken ship or use a drone to access it.
Of the survivors, two have been discharged from hospital, while two others remain in critical condition. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of charter boats in the area, and an investigation into the cause of the sinking is ongoing.
Investigation and Aftermath
The RCMP has stated that they will work to determine the cause of the sinking, and that an underwater recovery team will attempt to locate and access the sunken vessel. The incident has also highlighted the importance of safety measures, such as life jackets, in preventing accidents like this from occurring.
The couple who rescued three people from the water, Brian Angus and Dorothy Stauffer, have spoken about the traumatic experience, with Stauffer stating that she “replayed it in my mind quite often” and Angus saying they were “devastated that they couldn’t rescue more people”.
The incident serves as a reminder of the risks and dangers associated with water activities, and the importance of taking necessary safety precautions to prevent accidents like this from occurring. As the investigation into the cause of the sinking continues, the incident will likely have broader implications for the safety of charter boats and water activities in the area.
