A paddleboarder was found safe on Tree Island near Denman Island Thursday afternoon after the Baynes Sound Connector ferry participated in assisting with the emergency call.
The cable ferry between Buckley Bay and Denman Island launched its rescue boat and proceeded to the scene around 4:25 p.m. Oct. 22 after the ship was contacted by the coast guard to assist with the paddleboarder in distress near Union Bay, explained Deborah Marshall, spokesperson for BC Ferries.
The BSC was in dock at the Denman West terminal at the time.
“In the end, the paddleboarder was found safe … and the coast guard called the all-clear on the search effort,” said Marshall. “While our crew was ready and willing to assist, they were stood down by the coast guard.”
As a result of the incident, the BSC was delayed approximately an hour and a half. The crew operated the ferry in ‘shuttle mode’ for the next two hours.
“We apologize to the passengers for the delay, but most people understand we were assisting someone in distress. Our crews are highly trained for a variety of emergency situations, including rescues at sea … we are very proud of the professionalism the Baynes Sound Connector crew demonstrated yesterday,” added Marshall.
On average, BC Ferries responds to approximately 25 rescues per year.
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