Sunken B.C. fishing boat found as death toll rises

One of the people pulled from the water after a boat sank in the Strait of Georgia last week has died.

One of the passengers who was rescued after a chartered fishing vessel sank near Richmond, B.C., last week later died in hospital, according to authorities.

There were 10 people aboard the boat—now identified as a 2017 Kingfisher 3025 Destination named Top Ocean—when it sank off Roberts Bank on June 28. It was operated by Top Vancouver Fishing Charter Inc.

Four passengers were rescued from the water and six remain missing and are presumed to have drowned.

In an update Wednesday, Richmond RCMP provided the ages, genders and home cities of the passengers, and said their families requested their names not be released publicly so they can grapple with the tragic event in private.

Three of the rescued individuals—a 33-year-old woman from Toronto, a 33-year-old man from Redmond, Wash. and a 26-year-old man from Richmond—have been released from hospital.

The woman who succumbed to her injuries was a 28-year-old Chinese citizen living in Seattle, according to police.

The missing passengers are identified as:

• a 33-year-old man from Toronto
• a 31-year-old woman from Redmond, Wash.
• a 31-year-old man, who is a Chinese citizen residing in Seattle
• a 29-year-old woman from West Vancouver
• a 32-year-old man from West Vancouver
• a 22-year-old man from Richmond, who was the vessel operator

Loved ones have identified the captain of the boat as Ming Chen, who would have turned 23 later this month. They told CTV News through a translator that he raised safety concerns about the vessel for months, including a broken door, but his employer did not take action.

He is being remembered as friendly and generous, and always willing to help others, especially animals. About 100 mourners gathered at Imperial Landing Docks in Richmond Sunday to remember him and the five others lost at sea.

Top Vancouver Fishing Charter is no longer taking trip bookings on its website and the company did not answer the phone when contacted by CTV News.

Mounties also revealed the boat was located 153 metres below the surface on July 6.

“Although investigators were able to confirm the vessel’s identity, significant depth, darkness, and underwater conditions limited efforts to examine the interior. Searches of the surrounding seabed did not locate any occupants outside the vessel,” the statement continues.

Officials are currently evaluating options for recovering the vessel.

Police say so far, they have received statements from survivors and witnesses, reviewed photos and video and gathered information about the vessel and its previous operations. Transport Canada, WorkSafeBC and B.C. Coroners Service are also involved in the investigation, while the Transport Safety Board of Canada is conducting its own, independent probe.

Police are asking anyone who travelled on previous voyages on the Big Coast or with Top Vancouver Fishing Charter Inc. to contact them at 604-278-1212.