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TSB sends investigators to scene of boat sinking off Tofino, B.C.

TSB sends investigators to scene of boat sinking

TOFINO, B.C. — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it has sent investigators to assess the fatal sinking of a fishing vessel off the coast of British Columbia.

The board says its team of investigators will also gather information about the sinking Sunday of the fishing vessel Catatonic.

Two Alberta men died when the sport-fishing vessel with five people aboard took on water and overturned off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Mounties said the men were 32 and 42 years old, but their names and hometowns have yet be released.

The RCMP is investigating the capsizing of the 8.4-metre vessel in waters northwest of Bartlett Island near Tofino, a popular tourist community on the central west coast of Vancouver Island.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria said it received a distress call from someone on the boat on Sunday at about 1:20 p.m.

Coast guard rescue boats, a Royal Canadian Air Forces helicopter and a plane from Canadian Forces Base Comox were all dispatched to look for those who were thrown into the water, and a broadcast was put out asking marine vessels in the area to help in the search, the centre said.

Two commercial float planes also responded to the call for help and one of them spotted the people in the water and directed rescuers to the location.

 

 

The Canadian Press