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Whale boat disaster: 'phenomenal' rescue prevented even greater tragedy Whale boat disaster victims named as locals tell of remarkable rescue effort
(about 11 hours later)
There was no time even to send out a Mayday. The shocked survivors of the whale-watching cruise that claimed the lives of five Britons and probably an Australian off the Canadian coast told their rescuers they could not believe how fast their boat turned over and plunged them into the frigid waters near the rural tourist town of Tofino.There was no time even to send out a Mayday. The shocked survivors of the whale-watching cruise that claimed the lives of five Britons and probably an Australian off the Canadian coast told their rescuers they could not believe how fast their boat turned over and plunged them into the frigid waters near the rural tourist town of Tofino.
So quickly, in fact, that the stunned owner of the Leviathan II said the skipper did not even get off a distress call. But someone did manage to fire a flare, setting in motion a remarkable rescue effort on Sunday by fishermen and pleasure boats that prevented an even greater tragedy.So quickly, in fact, that the stunned owner of the Leviathan II said the skipper did not even get off a distress call. But someone did manage to fire a flare, setting in motion a remarkable rescue effort on Sunday by fishermen and pleasure boats that prevented an even greater tragedy.
Canadian authorities said the confirmed dead were four men and a woman aged between 18 and 76. All were British citizens, two of whom were residents of Canada. The coastguard and police divers searched for a sixth person who is missing, identified as an Australian man, until dusk on Monday without success. The police resumed their search for a 27-year-old Australian man as four of the British victims were named. They included David Thomas, 50, and his son, Stephen, 18, from Swindon, according to the Swindon Advertiser. Stephen Thomas had Down’s syndrome. The Down’s Syndrome Association described his father as a “huge supporter” of the organisation.
But, while mourning the lost lives, many in Tofino were marvelling that the remainder of the 24 passengers and three crew survived after the Leviathan II went down about 15km (nine miles) from the town. It said Stephen Thomas “was a very talented young man and a gifted photographer”. His father, David, worked for Microsoft which issued a statement expressing sympathy. Quoting Stephen’s brother, Paul, the newspaper said that their mother, Julie, was also on the boat but survived with minor injuries and was in hospital. He said he was planning to join her in Canada. The Press Association named two other victims as Jack Slater, 76, and 29-year-old Katie Taylor.
Officials began an investigation on Monday into what sank the 20-metre long vessel. But a view was already taking hold in the town that the boat was sunk by a powerful wave after some of the survivors told their rescuers the Leviathan II suddenly tipped – although there was also speculation it hit a rock. Both were born in the UK but resident in Canada. The missing Australian was from Sydney and was travelling with his girlfriend who was the daughter of one of the Britons who died. Rescue boats and police divers spent daylight hours on Monday searching for him.
Fishermen said the area is known for occasional freak waves. The tourists had been watching seals and did not have time to put on life jackets although plenty were available. Most of the survivors and their relatives have now left Tofino, a town of about 2,000 people which relies heavily on the tourist trade. Whale-watching trips have been suspended while the rescue effort continues. Residents held a gathering in the community hall on Monday evening to mourn the loss of life. But they also clapped and cheered fishermen who led the rescue effort as people marvelled that the remainder of the 24 passengers and three crew survived after the Leviathan II went down about nine miles from the town on Vancouver Island.
It is still not known who fired the flare but it was spotted by fishermen from an indigenous community of the Ahousaht First Nation people a few miles to the north who sent out calls for help via radio and text messages.
Boats already at sea headed for the rescue area. Those at the dock were soon following them. Among the first on the scene was Clarence Smith, who found the vessel mostly underwater with just its bow still above the waves. The Canadian Transport Safety Board began an investigation on Monday into what sank the 20-metre (65ft) vessel. But a view was already taking hold in the town that the boat was hit by a powerful wave after some of the survivors told their rescuers the Leviathan II suddenly tipped although there was also speculation it hit a rock. Fishermen said the area is known for occasional freak waves. The tourists had been watching sea lions and most did not have time to put on life jackets although plenty were available, with some survivors grabbed them floating in the sea.
“We saw three people in the water. One guy was clinging to the boat so we picked him first. Then I heard these voices. There were two ladies in the water clinging to each other,” he said. The rescuers said one of the crew fired a flare she found in the water. It was spotted by fishermen from the indigenous Ahousaht First Nation a few miles to the north who set the radio waves alight with a call for support. Boats immediately joined the rescue.The radio call was also picked up in Tofino where text messages abound. Boats already at sea headed for the rescue area. Those at the dock soon followed.
Smith said one of the women was pregnant and had a broken leg. Ken Lucas was working with Smith. He said that one of the people they rescued was a member of the crew who said the boat was hit by a wave. Among the first on the scene was Clarence Smith, from the Ahoushat First Nation, who found the vessel mostly underwater with just its bow above the waves. “We saw three people in the water. One guy was clinging to the boat so we picked him first. Then I heard these voices. There were two ladies in the water clinging to each other,” he said. Smith said one of the women was pregnant and another person had a broken leg.
Francis Campbell, driving a water taxi, was also quickly on the scene. He pulled eight survivors from the frigid water. “It’s something you really can’t describe. It’s going to be held with me for the rest of my life,” he said. The rescuers described people covered in diesel fuel and injured from being thrown against steel bulkheads when the boat turned over. Ken Lucas was working with Smith. He said that one of the people they rescued was a member of the crew who said the boat was hit by a wave. Fishermen described a heavy swell in the area during the rescue.
The flare was also spotted by Peter Frank. He rescued people clinging to a life raft that had run on to rocks. “There was this one guy saying: ‘My wife, my wife. She doesn’t know how to swim. She isn’t a great swimmer,’” he said. “Some of them, when they hopped on the boat, it was just a sense of relief ... I did my best to reassure them, to tell them they’re OK.” Francis Campbell, driving a water taxi, was also among the first to reach capsized vessel, pulling eight survivors from the water. “It’s something you really can’t describe. It’s going to be held with me for the rest of my life,” he said.
About 30 boats responded to the rescue call alongside the Canadian coastguard. Leviathan II’s owner, Jamie Bray, said he could not believe the boat capsized. “Traumatised would be an appropriate word. Disbelief,” he said. The flare was also spotted by Peter Frank. He rescued people clinging to a life raft that had run on to rocks. “There was this one guy saying: ’My wife, my wife. She doesn’t know how to swim. She isn’t a great swimmer,’” Frank told CBC news. “Some of them, when they hopped on the boat, it was just a sense of relief … I did my best to reassure them, to tell them they’re OK.”
Bray said the vessel had made the same trip every day for 20 years without incident and that the skipper had 18 years’ experience. ”We just don’t understand, and we won’t know the answers until the Transportation Safety Board finishes their investigation,” he said. About 30 boats responded to the rescue call alongside the Canadian coastguard. But all 21 of the survivors had been picked up by the time the official vessels arrived. They were taken to ambulances waiting on Tofino’s waterfront. The fishermen also brought the dead to shore.
Bray said it was the second fatal accident involving one of his boats. In 1998, two people died after a wave tossed them from a much smaller craft. Leviathan II’s owner, Jamie Bray, said he could not believe the boat capsized. “Traumatised would be an appropriate word. Disbelief,” he said. “I think the whole community has experienced the same emotions.”
As the survivors were brought ashore, they were taken to Tofino’s small hospital. But it soon became overwhelmed so local residents began taking the less serious cases into their homes. Three of the most seriously injured were taken to larger hospitals on Vancouver Island. Bray said the vessel had made the same trip every day for 20 years without incident and that the skipper had 18 years experience. “We just don’t understand, and we won’t know the answers until the Transportation Safety Board finishes their investigation,” he said.
Tofino’s mayor, Josie Osborne, praised the townspeople. “This community’s response has been nothing short of phenomenal,” she said. “People opened their homes to keep the survivors warm and comfort them.” Later, Bray praised the efforts of his crew to save people in the water. It was the second fatal accident involving one of his boats. In 1998, two people died after a wave knocked them from a much smaller craft.
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board sent a team to investigate but said it would not expect to reach any conclusions for months. The survivors of Sunday’s accident were taken to Tofino’s small hospital. But it soon became overwhelmed, so local residents began taking the less serious cases into their homes. Three of the most seriously injured were taken to larger hospitals on Vancouver Island. Tofino’s mayor, Josie Osborne, praised the town’s actions.
“We understand people want answers rapidly,” said Marc-André Poisson, the board’s director of investigations. “We don’t speculate and it’s much too early to say what the causes and contributing factors of this accident might be.” “This community’s response has been nothing short of phenomenal,” she said. People opened their homes to keep the survivors warm and comfort them.”
Canada’s Transport Safety Board sent a team to investigate but said it would not expect to reach any conclusions for months. “We understand people want answers rapidly,” said its director of investigations, Marc-André Poisson. “We don’t speculate and it’s much too early to say what the causes and contributing factors of this accident might be.”
The disaster has prompted debate in Canada about whether life jackets should be compulsory on tour excursions.