Latest news with #RCMSAR
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Passenger treated for injuries after Harbour Cruise ferry runs aground near Vancouver
Social Sharing One person injured after a ferry boat hit rocks in the water just off the coast of West Vancouver late Sunday morning had to be treated by medical services. The Harbour Princess, operated by Harbour Cruises Ltd., struck rocks east of Point Atkinson near Lighthouse Park just before noon, prompting a mayday call, according to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Victoria. In a statement to CBC News, Capt. Pedram Mohyeddin with the rescue centre said a Canadian Coast Guard aircraft and three coast guard boats were dispatched to the scene, along with the Vancouver Police Department's marine unit and many civilian boats that answered the mayday. The JRCC says one injured person was airlifted to B.C. Emergency Health Services by hovercraft before being transferred to the care of the B.C. Ambulance Service. The cause of the incident is not yet known. CBC News has reached out to B.C. Emergency Health Services on the extent of the passenger's injury. In a separate statement, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) Station 1 in West Vancouver said the vessel had 58 people on board when it ran aground. RCMSAR says search and rescue technicians boarded the vessel to assess both the injured passengers and the vessel's condition. They determined it was safest to keep uninjured passengers aboard and escort the ship back to Coal Harbour. Shane Austin, spokesperson for RCMSAR Station 1, said the incident had the "makings of a very difficult situation" and commended all units that came to assist. Harbour Cruises Ltd. has not yet responded to a request for comment. The company's website says the vessel has a capacity of 180 passengers.
Hamilton Spectator
21-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Marine search and rescue volunteers save injured hiker after fall on West Vancouver trail
Marine search and rescue volunteers were called into duty to help a man who found himself in a precarious position after fracturing his leg in a fall in Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver last week. West Vancouver's Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) group were tasked around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16 to assist West Vancouver Fire and Rescue with an injured hiker in Lighthouse Park. The man was hiking with his family and dog when his foot slipped on the trail and he heard a 'snap' to his left leg as he fell, said Jason King, coxswain of the rescue vessel. 'It's fairly good terrain for walking around on, but it's still a park,' King said. 'It's still the shoreline, loose gravel and rocks and that type of thing.' After the man fell, he was stuck in a dangerous position on the rocks. But the hiker wasn't there for long as rescue crews got to the area in seven minutes, where they and firefighters began the challenging task of carrying the man down in a clamshell stretcher onto the rescue crews' boat. Once the hiker got on board, rescue volunteers covered him in blankets and transported him to the Government Pier in Caulfield Cove where paramedics took the man to the hospital. 'He was in good spirits, considering what he was going through,' King said. 'He was quite grateful for everybody's service.' King said appropriate footwear, water, layers of clothing and a small first aid kit are all 'key ingredients' for people to bring when hiking, as accidents can happen at any time. 'But ultimately, I think this was just an accident where he slipped and had a bad fall,' he said. 'And that's unfortunate, it does happen … we were just really grateful to be a part of the rescue.' Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
30-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
RCM-SAR Oak Bay looking for new volunteers to keep boaters safe
From left to right: Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteers Martin Hoffman, James Dranchuk and Justin Stephenson. When there is an emergency at sea, the difference between life and death could be just a matter of minutes. Justin Stephenson is a training officer with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR), Oak Bay and says conditions can change in a hurry and catch some off guard. 'When things go south on the water, they can go south very fast,' said Stephenson. A situation like that often calls for a hero – and that's where the brave men and women of the RCM-SAR come into play. 'In the last year we helped over 370 people,' said Stephenson. Oak Bay Marine SAR has 40 regular crew members. There are 30 Marine SAR stations along the B.C. coast, plus another located on Shuswap Lake. Those stations are manned by more than 900 professionally trained volunteers. 'I'm one step up from a newbie,' said James Dranchuk, who joined Oak Bay's team two-and-a-half years ago. It's not your average volunteer position. It involves constant training and a lot of certifications. 'We're on call by 24-7, 365,' said Stephenson. That can consume a lot of one's time. Last year those 900 volunteers up and down the coast of B.C. clocked nearly 20,000 hours of their own time honing their skills. 'I've been wanting to do this for years,' said Dranchuk. Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteers He has been racing sailboats out of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club for the past 35 years. He was looking to give back and had the skills necessary to join Oak Bay's SAR team. For Martin Hoffman, another member who joined in 2018, giving back means saying thank-you to an organization that once saved his life following a kite surfing mishap 'I couldn't get back in and I was heading out through Baynes Channel, heading out into Harow Straight,' said Hoffman. From man overboard calls to missing kayakers and windsurfers, the RCM-SAR team in Oak Bay says they have seen it all – including one incident in November when a man fell off his sailboat late at night. He managed to hang on to the vessel in the frigid waters. 'The fella that was clinging onto the back of his sailboat, we saved his life,' said Dranchuk. The organization says it is always looking for new recruits as well as donor funds. 'That is basically what we exist on, if we didn't have that we wouldn't be able to do the work that we do, helping to save lives on the water,' said Stephenson.
