The Coast Guard vessel Cape Palmerston towed a small sailboat that had been swamped just outside Heriot Bay into dock on May 19. Photo by Wayne Jacob

The Coast Guard vessel Cape Palmerston towed a small sailboat that had been swamped just outside Heriot Bay into dock on May 19. Photo by Wayne Jacob

Quadra-to-Cortes ferry crew rescues occupants of swamped sailboat

Three people pulled out of the water

The crew of BC Ferries’ M.V. Tachek rescued the occupants of a swamped sailboat Tuesday.

“Several people were in the water,” said BC Ferries Spokesperson Deborah Marshall.

The ferry’s crew dispatched their onboard rescue boat and pulled three people out of the water after they spotted the mast in the water around 2 p.m. May 19. The ferry runs between Heriot Bay on Quadra Island and Whaletown on Cortes Island. The vessel had departed from Cortes at 1:50 and was delayed for about 60 minutes after diverting its trip to rescue the crew of the sailboat which had foundered about half a mile from Heriot Bay.

“The (ferry) crew is trained for these kinds of things,” Marshall said.

The Coast Guard vessel Cape Palmerston towed the swamped boat into Heriot Bay.

The three victims were handed over to BC Ambulance paramedics at Heriot Bay.

RELATED: Ferry sailings from Nanaimo’s Departure Bay terminal to resume June 3


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