(KITIMAT, British Columbia) — Two mariners are dead and another one was rescued after a tugboat capsized southeast of Kitimat early Thursday morning, the Terrace Standard reported.
A tugboat owned by Wainwright Marine Services in Prince Rupert was towing a barge in the Gardner Canal 35 nautical miles south of Kitimat when it capsized and the vessel’s emergency beacon was activated. Conditions at the time were reported as very windy.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that at 12:40 a.m., the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) tasked an RCMP West Coast Marine vessel to attend the scene, where officers found the first deceased man.
The Canadian Coast Guard also assisted in the search and rescue operation and found the second deceased man.
The JRCC dispatched a CC-115 Buffalo fixed-wing aircraft and a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from the Canadian Forces Base Comox, but poor weather hampered their search efforts.
However, a private helicopter spotted one male survivor on the shore who was soon transported to the local hospital.
