A man is dead after a boating accident off Hornby Island last night.
Hornby Island Fire Rescue posted on Facebook that crews were dispatched to tend to a patient with hypothermia as the result of an overturned boat.
“While en route more info came in that there was a second patient, possibly deceased,” the post said.
“Our first arriving medical crew looked after the hypothermic patient. The next arriving crew went to the marina where they boarded the Hornby Island Diving dive boat to find the other patient. They located him, unresponsive, on Norris Rock.”
Crews got him into the boat and worked on him on the way back to Ford Cove Marina where the BC Air Ambulance crew and a doctor met them to continue resuscitation efforts.
“Sadly, the doctor pronounced him dead at the marina,” HIFR said in the post.
The post continued, saying “as far as we can gather, the boat capsized and one gentleman was unable to stay afloat without a pfd. His friend was able to drag him to Norris Rock where he was able to right the boat and row it to Hornby to get help.”
HIFR thanked the BC Ambulance Service, the Canadian Coast Guard, the RCMP, our clinic Doctor and Rural Nurse, and “our incredible dispatchers” for their help.
“These multi agency, multi location, multi patient calls can be a lot to juggle, but our team made it seem easy. We are all saddened by the loss of this gentleman, and our hearts go out to his friends, family, and community.”
The BC Coroners Service confirmed that it’s investigating the death of a male in his 70s in the area.
“The investigating coroner is currently obtaining the information necessary to determine the cause, manner and circumstances of this death,” the service said.
