Richmond’s volunteer marine rescue service is temporarily out of commission after vandals damaged their vessel Friday.
Volunteers with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 10 said they discovered their damaged boat during a routine check.
RCM-SAR says the vandals gained access by cutting through a front gate lock before prying open the locked door.
Inside, they found the vessel’s tubes had been punctured with a screw and gasoline had been poured all over the deck of the boat, rendering it completely unusable.
The vessel is used in life-saving rescues, community events and patrols in the Richmond area.
The RCMP is investigating the incident and the Strait of Georgia Marine Rescue Society is offering a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
“The vandalism is a serious issue as it takes fundraised money away from boating safety and SAR,” RCM-SAR said in a statement.
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