5 dead, 21 rescued after whale watching boat sinks off British Columbia

Published 10:24 am Monday, October 26, 2015

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Five British nationals died when a whale watching boat with 27 people on board sank off Vancouver Island, the British Foreign Minister said Monday. One person was missing and the rest were rescued, some by members of the local aboriginal community who rushed to the scene.

The vessel made a mayday call late Sunday afternoon on a calm, clear and sunny day off the tourist community of Tofino, a popular destination for whale watchers, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre said.

The cause of the sinking remained a mystery. James Bray, the owner of the company that owns the boat, said he is cooperating with investigators to determine what happened.

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British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed in a statement that the five killed were U.K. nationals. He said consular officials in British Columbia were supporting family members of those who died.

“My thoughts are with the family and friends of all those affected by this terrible accident,” Hammond said.

A search by the rescue agency staffed by Canadian military and Coast Guard personnel concluded late Sunday with 21 rescued and one person missing, said Lt.-Cmdr Desmond James, a spokesman for rescue agency. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will take over the search for the missing person.

Boats from the nearby Ahoushat First Nation arrived first on the scene, said aboriginal Councilor Tom Campbell. He was on the waterfront and watched as rescuers brought several survivors ashore. He said his cousin pulled at least eight people from the water onto a boat.

“Their looks tell the whole story,” he said by phone from Tofino. “You can’t describe looks on people that are lost. They look totally lost — shocked and lost.”

The boat, the 20-meter (65-foot) Leviathan II, was partially submerged 8 nautical miles (12 nautical kilometers) west of Tofino.

Canadian Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau thanked all those who participated in the rescue effort and offered his condolences to the victims and their families.