There was no further word Saturday on the search for a man missing after a private sport-fishing boat overturned at the mouth of Nitinat Narrows.
One man is unaccounted for and two people were rescued after a 27-foot private sport-fishing boat overturned off Pacific Rim National Park on the Island’s west coast.
Lake Cowichan RCMP were notified just after 8 p.m. Thursday and went to the nearest boat launch, where they discovered that members of the Ditidaht community had already responded after being contacted by the Canadian Coast Guard. Both the Canadian and United States coast guards responded to a mayday put out by Victoria’s Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
The Canadian Coast Guard’s fast-recovery craft Bamfield 1 made the first rescue, followed by the second rescue by the Canadian vessel Atlantic Eagle.
The second rescue came after the person was spotted by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter out of Port Angeles.
“The two survivors that were located by the coast guard were initially taken to Port Renfrew and then transported to a larger centre for medical treatment,” said B.C. RCMP division media-relations officer Sgt. Chris Manseau. “The Lake Cowichan RCMP continue to liaise with their search-and-rescue partners, who continue to search for the missing man.”
Nitinat Narrows is about 35 kilometres northwest of Port Renfrew, and joins Nitinat Lake to the ocean.
The search area was being patrolled Friday by Parks Canada and an RCMP 8 helicopter.
Manseau said the Lake Cowichan RCMP thanks all who have stepped in to help.
“Their efforts, local knowledge and ability to jump in at a moment’s notice in situations like this are truly appreciated,” he said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Lake Cowichan RCMP at 250-749-6668.
