A person has died after a yacht accident off the coast of Victoria last week, according to the BC Coroners Service.
The U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest initially said three American citizens and a dog were rescued from the sinking vessel about three kilometres south of the capital around 7 p.m. last Friday.
It confirmed Wednesday, however, that an unresponsive man was spotted in the debris by the Royal Canadian Air Force and pulled from the water.
The BC Coroners Service said Wednesday it is investigating the incident and has no other information to share at this time.
The three people rescued — two teens and a woman — were were hoisted into a helicopter and brought to the Victoria General Hospital with signs of hypothermia.
The rescue was partially captured on camera by the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest, which tweeted that the sailing conditions in the Salish Sea that day included five-foot seas and wind speeds of about 37 kilometres per hour.
On Saturday, a U.S. Coast Guard official told Global News that its helicopter was already in the area on a training exercise, and was able to quickly refuel and pick up those stranded in the water.
The yacht, a 40-foot vessel registered in Kenmore, Wash., had disembarked from Seattle. Its occupants “were not dressed for the conditions,” but had lifejackets on,” Petty Officer Steve Stohmaier said.
Comments