Missing Fisherman Rescued off Vancouver Island in “Miracle” Rescue
A U.S. fisherman who had been missing for weeks off the Pacific coast has been miraculously rescued in the waters off Vancouver Island. The man was found alive in a tiny life raft by a civilian vessel, and he is reported to be in stable condition.
The man and his companion were aboard the vessel Evening, which had departed Westport on October 12. When they failed to return as planned three days later, their child reported them missing. A massive search effort was launched, with two flight crews from Alaska and a helicopter based in Astoria combing over 36,000 square kilometers of ocean. However, they were unable to locate any signs of the missing men.
The search was later suspended, but just one day after the suspension, a civilian vessel found one of the men floating in a life raft. The man was rescued and brought to shore by the Canadian Coast Guard. It remains unclear what happened to the Evening and the second missing fisherman.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the rescued man’s survival can be credited to the life raft. Without it, he would not have survived the frigid waters of the Pacific ocean. The orange roof of the life raft was difficult to spot in the vast sea, but the civilian vessel and its crew had the wherewithal to investigate and locate the raft.
The rescued fisherman was transferred to a Canadian Coast Guard vessel and taken to Tofino for treatment. He was reported to be in stable condition at the time of the rescue, although his current status is unknown. As for the second missing man, authorities have not yet determined if a renewed search and rescue effort will be initiated.
This rescue has been hailed as a miracle, bringing hope and relief to the families and search teams involved.
Headlines for WordPress:
- Missing Fisherman Found Alive in “Miracle” Rescue off Vancouver Island
- Civilian Vessel Locates Lost Fisherman in Life Raft After Weeks at Sea
- U.S. Fisherman’s Remarkable Rescue off Vancouver Island Brings Hope
Important terms: Pacific coast, Vancouver Island, U.S. Coast Guard, rescue, missing fishermen, miracle, vessel Evening, Westport, search effort, life raft, frigid waters, Canadian Coast Guard, Tofino