An alert Youbou resident helped to save the day after hearing cries for help in the north arm of Cowichan Lake just after midnight on May 20.
The Lake Cowichan RCMP arrived to find an overturned boat on the lake. The 19.7-foot vessel had been carrying 14 people on it when it capsized.
“The initial call came in by a concerned Creekside resident in Youbou that heard people yelling for help out on the lake,” said Lake Cowichan RCMP spokesman Cpl. Larry Olson in a press release.
It was thanks to that resident, and the quick action taken by an off-duty Victoria city police officer and other residents that allowed for a nearly best-case-scenario outcome.
“All occupants were transported safely to shore, however one sustained a dislocated shoulder,” Olson said.
The incident remains under investigation.
