Person rescued after going overboard off BC Ferries vessel

A person has been rescued after going overboard off a BC Ferries vessel Thursday evening, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) has confirmed.

This is the second such incident in as many days.

Lt. (Navy) Wilson Ho with Maritime Forces Public Affairs tells The Leader Spirit they received a call from Delta Police around 6 p.m. regarding a person in the water just outside of Active Pass in the Georgia Strait. Shortly after, the Spirit of British Columbia also sent out a mayday.

Ho says a Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft, lifeboats, and helicopters were tasked to assist, and then the ferry launched its own lifeboat.

“About five minutes after the mayday from the BC Ferries Spirit of British Columbia, a civilian vessel nearby was able to respond and also was able to pick the person out of the water,” Ho said.

“Search and Rescue assets arrived at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time, and the person right now was transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard Hovercraft Moytel and is currently being transferred to BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) ashore.”

Ozzy Oliver, a passenger aboard the vessel, shared a video with The Leader Spirit on which two announcements can be heard:

“Be advised: person overboard,” and “Man overboard. Port side.”

This comes a day after an unrelated incident in which BC Ferries said rescue crews were called out to the waters near the Tsawwassen terminal after someone went overboard off the Spirit of Vancouver Island.

We have reached out to BCEHS for more information about the person’s condition.