Crew members from a B.C. Ferries vessel helped rescue a boater who was being blown out to sea in a rowboat near Salt Spring Island on Thursday night.
The rowboat’s occupant had set off flares, said B.C. Ferries spokesperson Shiryn Sayani.
MV Quinsam, which normally provides service between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island, was notified by the 91原创 Coast Guard.
The initial call for help was made about 9:20 p.m. by a concerned citizen who had seen the boater having difficulty and notified the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria.
After bringing the rowboat ashore, the ferry’s crew members helped drain the vessel and towed the boater back to their sailboat.
Royal 91原创 Marine Search and Rescue was also contacted and sent a unit, but the ferry crew had completed the rescue before it arrived. It was called off and returned to its base.
Sayani said the Thursday rescue was the second B.C. Ferries crews carried out this week, and their 15th overall this year.
The rescues are examples of the “critical role” the crews play in marine-rescue efforts, she said.
The first rescue of the week was on Monday near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, where a boater was spotted clinging to an overturned craft.
After being alerted by the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, B.C. Ferries staff deployed a work boat about 12:30 p.m. to bring the boater to shore.
He was taken to hospital and is expected to recover.
Sayani said B.C. Ferries crews undergo extensive marine safety and emergency-response training, including water rescues and first-aid, so they are prepared to respond effectively to emergencies.
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and skill of our teams and the vital role B.C. Ferries plays in supporting and safeguarding coastal communities.”
