Nanaimo Harbour Patrol, a Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from 19 Wing Comox and Protection Island residents have been scouring the islandB次元官网网址檚 shoreline and waters for a man who possibly fell overboard from a boat last night.
Emergency crews and the Nanaimo Harbour Patrol vessel NPA Eagle responded shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, April 11, when witnesses reported that two people were heard in the water.
Capt. Satinder Singh, Port of Nanaimo harbour master, said the NPA Eagle, operated by Chris Dumas and Mike Banning, and two Nanaimo RCMP officers responded to Mark Bay, near Saysutshun and Protection Island.
Singh said one woman was found in the water and was pulled aboard and taken to an ambulance at the boat basin marina in downtown Nanaimo. She had been in the water an estimated 20 minutes.
B次元官网网址淩CMP and patrol division discovered the woman B次元官网网址� she was handed over to B.C. Ambulance Service care at F-Dock shortly after,B次元官网网址� Singh said.
The NPA Eagle and the two RCMP officers returned to help with the search for the second person and continued with the search until past midnight Tuesday, April 12. RCM-SAR, the Canadian Coast Guard and the RCAF helicopter continued the search operation.
Josh Minami, RCM-SAR No. 27 spokesman, said the auxiliary coast guard unit and other search and rescue resources continued searching until about 2 a.m. and returned to base after no one was found in the water.
B次元官网网址淲hat we understand was, nobody actually witnessed anybody entering the water, however, there were witnesses that heard what sounded like two people in the water B次元官网网址� We took on RCMP and started a search of the vessels in the immediate area and the shoreline throughout Mark Bay and Newcastle Island,B次元官网网址� Minami said.
He said a water taxi also participated in the search, as did residents.
B次元官网网址淚t was a big show and all the folks on the waterfront and Protection Island, they were all out there with their flashlights,B次元官网网址� Minami said. B次元官网网址淣o other person was found and B次元官网网址� no other person was witnessed in the water B次元官网网址� That was the challenge. There wasnB次元官网网址檛 an actual eyewitness. It was just people heard what was going on.B次元官网网址�
Reserve Const. Gary OB次元官网网址橞rien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said police were called to Mark Bay after two people were heard engaged in what sounded like an argument for about 45 minute prior to witnesses hearing what sounded like people in the water. The woman, 58, was found clinging to the side of a sailboat she lives on with the 59-year-old man who is missing.
B次元官网网址淲e located an adult woman in the water and she was in bad shape,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橞rien said. B次元官网网址淪he was extremely inebriated. She was taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia and her severe level of intoxication.B次元官网网址�
OB次元官网网址橞rien said police have searched for the man at his workplace, have pinged his cell phone and followed up on other methods to locate him, but havenB次元官网网址檛 found him.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e working on the premise that he may have, unfortunately, drowned and at this point he has not been located,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橞rien said. B次元官网网址淭he search will continue for the foreseeable future.B次元官网网址�
OB次元官网网址橞rien said search and rescue teams are doing a ground search, multiple vessels are searching the water and the RCMP dive team is also searching underwater.
Nanaimo RCMP are asking anyone who has information about the missing man to call 911 immediately.
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