Large fire engulfs boat near Gabriola

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GABRIOLA ISLAND (NEWS 1130) – A group of people are safe after an American registered fishing boat caught fire just off the coast of Gabriola Island, southeast of Nanaimo.

Lieutenant Commander John Nethercott with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre says the 22-metre vessel had five people on board.

“No known cause for the fire yet, but those five persons have been removed by a, what we call, a vessel of opportunity, which is just another vessel that was in the area.”

All passengers on board the “Sea Valley II” are now safe on a Coast Guard hovercraft.

“Initial reports tell us that there are no serious injuries, so once they’ve been assessed by the Coast Guard, then they’re going to be transferred to emergency health services and taken into Vancouver.”

The call came in around 4:45 this afternoon.

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