A passenger went overboard on a B.C. Ferries vessel bound for Vancouver Island from Metro Vancouver on Wednesday.
B.C. Ferries said it happened on the 1 p.m. sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, shortly after the Spirit of Vancouver Island vessel had left the terminal.
Another ferry, the Queen of New Westminster, assisted with the rescue efforts.
The ferry authority said the individual was eventually retrieved by crew, and was in a stable condition.
The reason the person went overboard was not shared, but the ferry authority said they had been transported to hospital by paramedics.
Passenger Jared Fitschen witnessed the rescue, and estimated it took around 20 to 30 minutes.
“Maybe 10 to 15 minutes after we had departed from the Vancouver side, we hear three almost-ringtone sounds over the intercom, followed by a recording saying, ‘Man overboard, man overboard,'” he told CBC News.
“I think most people thought that it was just a drill because we didn’t feel like— there’s no way there’s a man overboard,” he added. “But then we heard the motor start to slow down, and we start to see the crew running back and forth outside.”
Fitschen said it was definitely shocking, and it was the first time he had seen a rescue on a B.C. Ferries vessel, having taken them for decades at least four or five times a year.
“It’s surprising to see actually how fast that they reacted,” he said.
“From the moment … the entire ferry stopped, [to] the moment that we actually got the boat turned around, it’s pretty impressive.”
<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ServiceNotice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ServiceNotice</a> The <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tsawwassen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Tsawwassen</a> – <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwartzBay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#SwartzBay</a> vessel held outside of dock due to a marine rescue. The 1:00 pm sailing from <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tsawwassen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Tsawwassen</a> will arrive in <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwartzBay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#SwartzBay</a> approximately one hour delayed as a result. <br><br>Full notice here: <a href=”https://t.co/QubR90Z1CC”>https://t.co/QubR90Z1CC</a> ^ha
—@BCFerries
Fitschen had praise for the crew and rescuers on Wednesday, saying it felt like the situation was very controlled and well-handled.
A B.C. Ferries spokesperson said they recognized how distressing the rescue must have been for those on board, and thanked passengers for their patience and understanding.
They said they anticipated about an hour’s delay on the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route as a result.
