Great rescue by Station 27 Nanaimo!

Preparing to leave for training with both vessels we were paged for a dragon boat overturned in Dept Bay. SAR 27 & SAR 27 Bravo responded to the location. On scene with Aux 27 Bravo 18 persons in the water. Aux 27 recovered 13 persons SAR 27 Bravo recovered 5 persons. 7 persons were clinging to the submerged boat with approximately 10 more drifting free in Dept Bay & one swam to the shore on Newcastle Island. Both vessels returned to boathouse with everyone onboard.

EHS, RCMP and Fire Rescue on scene with several additional SAR 27 members who came down to assist taking persons into the ready room to warm up. 17 were treated at SAR 27 boathouse for mild hypothermia and released, 1 was transported to hospital. Aux 27 Bravo went back to recover the partially submerged dragon boat, SAR 27 went back out and did a search for debris in the water (paddles,lifejackets, clothing).

IN ACTION STATION 39 Port Alberni on May 31 at 03:00 was Tasked to search for a father and son reported overdue in a 20ft runabout. It was reported that the pair had broken down and tied up to a log boom around China Creek.

After an hour of searching, the boaters contacted SAR 39 and advised of there postion. SAR 39 located the cold men and took them on board to warm up and transport back to port Alberni. This was the First rescue mission of the NEW Alberni Responder.