The body of an elderly man has been found in the water near Gabriola Island.
It was spotted by a sailor near Thrasher Rock, about three kilometres east of the island, and reported to the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.
The Canadian Coast Guard was dispatched and the body was transferred to RCMP vessel Inskter. It was taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and the B.C. Coroners Service confirmed the death.
The Canadian Forces assisted in a search of the area with a Cormorant helicopter from 19 Wing Comox and a fixed wing Rescue 457. They searched for any signs of a vessel that may have capsized or was in distressed.
None was found and all have discontinued their search, Nanaimo RCMP said.
No personal identification was found in the clothing of the deceased man.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Cpl. Markus Muntener of Gabriola RCMP at 250-247-8966 or Cpl. Sarah Mattes of Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
It is the second body recovered near Gabriola in three days. On Sunday, 86-year-old Gabriola resident Werner Karl Bachmann went swimming at Twin Beaches. About 50 minutes later, he was spotted in distress and pulled ashore, but could not be resuscitated, the B.C. Coroners Service said.
