6 still missing, 4 pulled from B.C.'s Georgia Strait amid marine rescue involving civilian vessel

6 still missing, 4 pulled from B.C.'s Georgia Strait amid marine rescue involving civilian vessel

Coast Guard says reports of 'several' people in water without floatation devices

Four people have been pulled from the water, but search-and-rescue crews remain in the Georgia Strait on Sunday afternoon where as many as six people may still be missing.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said it was notified around 11:45 a.m. PT of "several people in the water without personal flotation devices" about 10 nautical miles southwest of the Vancouver International Airport.

The JRCC said it deployed a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft from Comox, B.C., along with the Canadian Coast Guard Hovercraft Siyay and Main Lifeboat Station Ganges, plus auxiliary rescue resources.

Images from the scene showed a hovercraft and a Hullo passenger ferry near a sailboat.

As of 3:15 p.m. PT, it said four people had been taken to the Sea Island Coast Guard Station and transferred to paramedics.

However, it said the search was ongoing for another six people believed to be in the water.

B.C. Ferries said it had also diverted two vessels on the Tsawwassen to Duke Point route to help with the search.

Both vessels have since been cleared, leaving the 11:30 a.m. sailing 75 minutes behind schedule and the 12:45 p.m. sailing about 30-45 minutes behind schedule.

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