A Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft was deployed Tuesday to conduct a marine rescue in Georgia Strait.
The coast guard was called after La Feline, a 26-metre Esteral yacht, began taking on water near the Sand Heads Lighthouse near Steveston.
“We were bringing our boat around to go up for service up the river, and just as we got to sand heads we got something and it seemed to pull a shaft and water started coming in quick,” said owner Bruce Macdonald.
Aerial footage showed the hovercraft approaching the vessel, whose stern appeared to be low in the water.
Macdonald said the three people aboard climbed into the vessel’s dinghy when they realized they couldn’t save the boat.
He said a survey boat came out and met them and escorted them into shore, but the hovercraft got there too late to pump out the La Feline.
“Its sad, it was an old classic. Found its grave,” he said.