Dozens of people onboard a whale watching tour boat in Georgia Strait had to be rescued on Tuesday, October 23.
According to Zoe Ward (Wild Whales Tours, Vancouver), 34 passengers were on their ship when its engine malfunctioned, setting off call for help.
Lt Tony Wright from Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it had received a mayday call from the Jing Yu vessel at about 11:45 a.m.
Centre's hovercraft and another vessel were dispatched, but Royal Canadian Navy patrol craft and Queen of Cowichan ferryboat on her way to Nanaimo were first on the scene.
Image: Nanaimo (Vancouver Island, BC Canada)
The operators of Jing Yu managed to put an engine fire out. The hovercraft transferred all passengers back to shore.
No one was hurt during the accident and Wright said Wild Whales Vancouver sent out another boat to tow the damaged ship back to Vancouver.
Queen of Cowichan ferry was delayed by around 25 minutes.