A tugboat operator who made a mayday distress call on Monday (Oct. 23) was found drowned off the coast of Vancouver.
RCMP say the 61-year-old man called for aid from Victoria’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at 1:30 p.m., but that search and rescue crews couldn’t find him in time. A bystander walking along the water near the University of British Columbia stumbled upon the man’s body shortly before 3 p.m. and pulled it ashore.
Emergency responders attempted to revive the man, but he was declared dead at the scene.
The Canadian Coast Guard sent dive crews in to scour the area for anyone else who may have been onboard the vessel, but found no one. They did discover the man’s tugboat sunk in the ocean, which RCMP say may have capsized as a result of strong winds and turbulence.
The UBC detachment says they are still investigating the full cause of the accident.
“Our hearts go out to the man’s family and friends in this difficult time,” Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in a statement.
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