The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) launched a large-scale search and rescue operation Sunday after receiving a report of multiple people in the water without flotation devices approximately 10 nautical miles southwest of Vancouver International Airport. Four individuals have been rescued, while six others remain unaccounted for as of late afternoon.
Civilian Vessel Raises Alarm
According to Capt. Pedram Mohyeddin of the JRCC, a civilian vessel notified authorities at 11:45 a.m. of several people struggling in the water near Sea Island. The report indicated none of the individuals were wearing flotation devices. The JRCC immediately coordinated a multi-agency response involving Canadian Forces assets, the Canadian Coast Guard, and Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) auxiliary stations.
Ongoing Search Efforts
As of 3:15 p.m., rescue teams had pulled four people from the water, who were then transferred to emergency health services for medical assessment. The remaining six are believed to still be in the water. A Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopter, a CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft from 19 Wing Comox, the Coast Guard hovercraft Siyay, the Main lifeboat station Ganges, and RCMSAR Auxiliary stations 6, 7, and 8 are all actively involved in the search.
Circumstances Under Investigation
The cause of the incident remains unclear, and authorities have not released details on the identities or conditions of those rescued. The JRCC continues to coordinate search patterns over a wide area, with no indication yet of how long the individuals have been in the water. The operation is ongoing, and further updates are expected as the search progresses.
