BC Ferries vessel assists in rescue of boaters near Valdes Island
After a pleasure boat ran aground on Valdes Island, Coastal Inspiration was called in to assist
Two boaters can thank a nearby B.C. ferry for a speedy rescue in Georgia Strait early Tuesday.
The Coastal Inspiration arrived just as the pair jumped in a dinghy after their 10-metre pleasure boat ran aground off Valdez Island, south of Gabriola Island.
"We did deploy one of our rescue boats off of the Coastal Inspiration, so we did have a couple of employees in that rescue boat going over to render assistance," said BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall.
A coast guard vessel reached the scene a short time later and took the two boaters aboard. At that time, the ferry, which had stopped near Porlier Pass, got moving again.
The rescue caused a 45-minute delay on some sailings of the mid-Island run between Tsawwassen and Duke Point.
With files from Sergio Vargas