A water taxi carrying six people hit a reef in waters between Tofino and Ahousaht Tuesday morning, injuring four of the six people aboard.
Environment Canada issued a fog warning for areas all around Vancouver Island on the morning of Jan. 24.
“Areas of dense fog are expected to lift by this afternoon. Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero,” they said in their public statement.
The Canadian Coast Guard said the Ahousaht Auxiliary Coast Guard was notified at 9:27 a.m., Jan. 24 that a vessel had run aground in the vicinity of Catface Range. The CCG dispatched the Cape Anne to the scene.
Other vessels in the area responded to the distress call. Al Titian, a vessel operator for Cermaq Canada, said by the time he arrived on scene the CCG Zodiac was already there along with two other boats. Fog was still thick in the area as people were being helped off of the stricken boat.
“Rocky Pass was taking on water so the crew from the barge loaned them a pump,” said Titian.
According to Pamela Hogan of the Canadian Coast Guard, the 25-foot water taxi had six people aboard with four of them suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
“All passengers were transported to First Street Dock in Tofino, where they were met by Emergency Health Services to be assessed and treated,” said Hogan.
Four of the passengers are being airlifted to hospital in Victoria, including skipper Chris Frank, according to reports from family members.
The CCG along with the RCMP towed the crippled water taxi to Tofino.
