Search for three missing men in waters off Tofino scaled back, now considered a missing person’s case

CHEK

WATCH: A search for three missing men has hundreds of volunteers and family members anxiously combing the coastline near Tofino after a boat capsized early Friday morning. Skye Ryan has more.

The Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre Victoria announced late Friday that after over 18 hours of extensive air, land and waterborne searching for three individuals reported missing after their vessel sank in the early morning off Duffin Cove in Tofino on June 15, it has called a Search Reduction.

JRCC thanked the countless volunteers in kayaks and other small private vessels, and on the ground from the communities surrounding the search area, as well all our partner organizations, the CCG, RCM-SAR, Parks Canada, G-SAR, Emergency Management B.C., RCMP, Emergency Health Services, who assisted in the search.

They say the case has been handed over to the RCMP as a missing person?s case, and that their thoughts are with the loved ones of the missing.

Chief Moses Martin from the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation confirms that fishing gear and other items from the missing boat were found in the water on Friday evening.

He also confirmed that neither of the two men rescued earlier are from the Tofino area.

The intensive search is expected to continue until 9:30 or 10 p.m., and if necessary it will resume on Saturday at 7 a.m.

The Canadian Coast Guard, RCMP, and search and rescue crews are looking for three men in the water near Tofino after a tin boat capsized early Friday morning.

A coast guard boat searching for multiple people near Tofino at Chesterman Beach. Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria has confirmed multiple people are missing in the water. Photo courtesy Twitter/@MerlinYYC.

A Canadian Coast Guard boat searching for multiple people near Tofino at Chesterman Beach. Photo courtesy Twitter/@MerlinYYC.

All three men are members of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.

One of the men missing, Marcel Martin, received a medal from the Lifesaving Society for helping rescue 21 people after the Leviathan II sank off Vargas Island in October 2015. He was among a group from Ahousaht.

Martin’s aunt confirmed to CHEK News that he is among the missing.

Lt. Navy Melissa Kia with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria says five people were aboard a small open vessel about 20 feet long that ended up in the water around 2 a.m. and no distress call was given.

It wasn’t until 3 a.m. when the JRCC received multiple calls after reports for help were heard from the shoreline at Duffin Cove near Tofino.

Two helicopters and the Canadian Coast Guard ship Cape Ann began searching shortly after the call and are now scouring a 41 square kilometre area, along with a number of bystander boats.

Video of one of two helicopters searching the water for three missing people after a boat capsized around 2 a.m. off Duffin Cove near Tofino. Courtesy Twitter/@MerlinYYC

Choppers in the air

Choppers in the air

Duration 28s

Search and Rescue chopper spending a lot of time just off Chesterman Beach @Tofino in search for missing boaters 3 people reported missing.mp4

Search and Rescue chopper spending a lot of time just off Chesterman Beach @Tofino in search for missing boaters 3 people reported missing.mp4

Duration 34s

One man was recovered from the water and found not to be wearing a life jacket.

Kia said that person and another individual that was located after swimming to shore were transported to Emergency Health Services.

She could not confirm their conditions and said strong currents are playing a factor in the search because of drift patterns, where people rarely stay in the same location.

RCMP confirmed Friday that two men had been rescued and said they were in a tin boat with three other men.

Search and rescue crews, the JRCC from 19 Wing Comox, the Canadian Coast Guard, the RCMP West Coast Marine Section and the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team are all assisting in the search.

Chief Moses Martin from the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation said the last anyone heard was that the group was going out fishing Thursday but it’s unclear what happened after that.

Location of boats near Tofino, including Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Ann around 8:30 a.m. Photo courtesy Marine Traffic.

Location of boats near Tofino, including Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Ann around 8:30 a.m. Photo courtesy Marine Traffic.

 

Andy NealAndy Neal

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