1 rescued in B.C. boat sinking dies in hospital, 6 still missing, RCMP say

Richmond RCMP say a boater who was rescued in the June 28 charter boat sinking off B.C.’s coast, near Roberts Bank, has died.

The three other people who were rescued have been released from hospital, while six remain missing, according to police.

In a news release Wednesday morning, police shared details about the 10 people on board the commercial charter vessel, saying they came from B.C., Ontario and Washington state.

Everyone involved, including “eight charter guests, the vessel operator, and one individual assisting the operator” were in their 20s or 30s, according to police.

RCMP said it was a 28-year-old Chinese woman living in Seattle, Wash., who died of her injuries in hospital after being rescued from the water after the sinking.

The three survivors include a 33-year-old woman from Toronto, a 26-year-old man from Richmond and a 33-year-old man from Redmond, Wash.

The missing individuals, who investigators have previously said are presumed drowned, include a:

• 33-year-old man from Toronto.
• 31-year-old woman from Redmond, Wash.
• 31-year-old man, a Chinese citizen residing in Seattle, Wash.
• 29-year-old woman from West Vancouver.
• 32-year-old man from West Vancouver.
• 22-year-old man from Richmond, who was the vessel operator.

RCMP said the families have asked police not to release the names of those involved.

“They are asking for privacy to deal with this event,” police said in their release.

Cpl. Frank Bryson told CBC News/Radio-Canada that he doesn’t have any medical information on the person who died in hospital or on the survivors.

Police said the vessel involved was operated by Top Vancouver Fishing Charter Inc.

CBC News has made multiple attempts to contact Top Vancouver Fishing Charter, however the person who answered the company phone number has declined to comment.

Boat identified, recovery options under evaluation

Police said they have found the sunken vessel, a 2017 Kingfisher 3025 Destination called Top Ocean (formerly Big Coast), about 153 metres below the surface using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

Bryson said the waters are too deep for divers, but police will try to get the ROV back down to investigate further.

Investigators are limited in their ability to examine the interior of the boat, according to RCMP, due to the depth of the water, darkness and underwater conditions.

“Searches of the surrounding seabed did not locate any occupants outside the vessel,” police said in their release.

Bryson said it’s possible that bodies remain in the boat.

Investigators are now evaluating “specialized recovery options” as they say the operation will require highly specialized marine equipment and technical expertise.

Bryson said this has been a “very complex investigation” with a lot of moving parts. He added that if police put out too much information, it can compromise the investigation.

“We’re just doing the best we can; we’re going to try to update as we can, as more information comes in, but these complex investigations take time.”

Police say the investigation remains active and they are working with Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), WorkSafeBC and the B.C. Coroners Service.

Anyone with information about the incident, including people who may have sailed on the boat Top Ocean or with Top Vancouver Fishing Charter Inc. and have not yet spoken to investigators, is asked to contact Richmond RCMP.

Sailboat rescue

When the boat went down on June 28, the mayday call came not from Top Ocean, but from a couple on their sailboat at around 11:45 a.m. PT.

Brian Angus and Dorothy Stauffer told CBC News they saw five people in the water without life-jackets but no sign of a boat nearby.

The couple called in a mayday, then began circling the group and using a dinghy they were towing as a life-raft.

They were only able to get three of the five people on the dinghy.

Rescue crews pulled a fourth person from the water.

Officials have stressed the importance of wearing life-jackets while on the water.