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| Five Britons dead after Canadian whale-watching boat sinks | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Five Britons were killed when a whale-watching boat sank off the coast of western Canada, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said. | Five Britons were killed when a whale-watching boat sank off the coast of western Canada, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said. |
| The boat carrying 27 people sank near Tofino on Vancouver Island on Sunday. | The boat carrying 27 people sank near Tofino on Vancouver Island on Sunday. |
| Emergency officials said 21 people had been rescued and one other person was still missing. | Emergency officials said 21 people had been rescued and one other person was still missing. |
| The boat, Leviathan II, made a mayday call before sinking about 8 miles (12km) west of Tofino. Sea conditions at the time were reported to be calm. | The boat, Leviathan II, made a mayday call before sinking about 8 miles (12km) west of Tofino. Sea conditions at the time were reported to be calm. |
| Authorities say they do not know what caused the accident, which is still being investigated. | |
| Mr Hammond said: "It is with deep sadness that I can confirm five British nationals have lost their lives when the whale watching boat they were on sank off Western Canada on Sunday. | Mr Hammond said: "It is with deep sadness that I can confirm five British nationals have lost their lives when the whale watching boat they were on sank off Western Canada on Sunday. |
| "My thoughts are with the family and friends of all those affected by this terrible accident." | "My thoughts are with the family and friends of all those affected by this terrible accident." |
| He said consular staff in British Columbia were supporting the family members of those who had died and were in close contact with the Canadian authorities. | |
| Within 30 minutes of the mayday call, a rescue helicopter and boat were on the scene. | |
| The first rescue boats to arrive belonged to the nearby Ahousaht First Nation community, aboriginal councillor Tom Campbell said. | |
| He said he saw the first survivors brought ashore. | |
| "Their looks tell the whole story,'' he told the Associated Press (AP) news agency. "You can't describe looks on people that are lost. They look totally lost - shocked and lost.'' | |
| Eyewitnesses reported seeing a diesel slick and personal belongings in the water. | |
| The 20m (65ft) boat was operated by Jamie's Whaling Station and Adventure Centres. | |
| In a statement on the company's website, owner Jamie Bray said: "It has been a tragic day. Our entire team is heartbroken over this incident. | |
| "We are doing everything we can to assist our passengers and staff through this difficult time. We are co-operating with investigators to determine exactly what happened." | |
| Tofino is a popular destination for tourists wanting to spot humpback and Pacific Gray whales, and trips usually last up to three hours. |