91Ƶ

Skip to content

VIDEO: Volunteers continue search for capsized mariners near Tofino

91ƵThe mood on the dock is hopeful.91Ƶ

The search for three West Coast residents continued on Saturday as local boaters, RCMP and search and rescue crews maintained their collaborative efforts.

Five men were tossed into the water when their tin boat sank near Duffin Cove around 3 a.m. Two were located, one pulled from the water and another who swam to shore.

Members of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation have been supporting each other at Tofino91Ƶs First Street Dock, waiting for updates on the three missing men.

91ƵWe91Ƶre all focused really hard on resolving the situation in the best way that we can,91Ƶ Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Executive Assistant Connor Paone told the Westerly News at the dock on Saturday.

91ƵWe have a lot of committed professional people on the water, on land and in the skies right now91ƵThe mood on the dock is hopeful. It91Ƶs sorrowful because of the situation that91Ƶs going on, of course. Right now, we91Ƶre just trying to keep our spirits up. We have a lot of people here trying to cheer people up and we have a lot of support from all the communities on the Coast here helping us do that.91Ƶ

He added West Coast communities have proven their ability to come together in a crisis.

91ƵWe91Ƶve been here before. Every handful of years there91Ƶs a tragedy on the Coast and, every time that happens, you see all the communities come together,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵCulturally speaking, the [Tla-o-qui-aht] Nation91Ƶs really close. All the families are really close with each other and anyone that91Ƶs involved or has been around can see that just with the amount of people that are here, the amount of donations that have come in from local businesses, from family members, from the community at large to help support the families and the people that are on and off the water searching.91Ƶ

While and handed the file over to the RCMP as a missing person91Ƶs case, Westcoast Inland Search and Rescue Manager Garth Cameron told the Westerly that the search team was bolstered Saturday morning with SAR crews arriving from Nanaimo, Comox and Courtenay.

91ƵBoth the Tla-o-qui-aht and have a ton of boats on the water and lots of boots on the ground,91Ƶ he added.

Cameron said the search91Ƶs momentum has not waned in the second day.

91ƵEverybody deals with tragedy differently. From a SAR manager point of view91Ƶwe just push, push, push,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵYou91Ƶre always hopeful and it91Ƶs always a search. We91Ƶre looking for somebody. When we find that person, then we91Ƶll cross that bridge; whatever that bridge may be and I, for one, will never speculate that it91Ƶs something else besides a search. Right now, we are still looking for three missing people.91Ƶ

Paone said the best way for locals to assist is through donations of food and water to the search teams and that any boaters wanting to join the effort should check in at the dock first.

91ƵIf you want to get involved in the search, don91Ƶt just head out on your own,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵMake sure you91Ƶre checking with Search and Rescue. If you91Ƶre unsure, the best thing to do is come down to the First Street Dock here and check in in person with them to make sure that we get you tasked out officially. The worst thing that could happen is to have another set of people head out there and get stuck themselves.91Ƶ



Andrew Bailey

About the Author: Andrew Bailey

I arrived at the Westerly News as a reporter and photographer in January 2012.
Read more



(or

91Ƶ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }