RCMP officers patrolling along the marine border in Georgia Strait rescued two people from their sinking vessel.
On August 17, RCMP officers were out enforcing the Customs Act and Quarantine Act when they overheard a distress call on the marine channel about a sinking boat.
The RCMP vessel arrived on scene minutes later and located the ship almost fully submerged with the life raft still attached to the transom of the sinking boat.
Two people wearing life jackets were in the water holding onto a few floating items. Both of them were not injured in this accident.
The investigation has determined that the boat had struck something as it traversed the waters. The captain anchored the sinking ship and tried to use the life raft, but it didn’t function because the boat was sinking rapidly.
The 34-foot boat sank in the water and will be recovered in the future.
“The actions taken by the members of the Pacific ShipRider program were outstanding. They answered a call for help immediately and were on the scene within minutes,” said Superintendent Bert Ferreira Officer in charge of Border Integrity Program
