Update: Aircraft Searching for Missing Whale Watcher
Transport Canada deployed a National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) aircraft on Monday to search for the person who went missing after the whale-watching boat Leviathan II sank near Tofino, British Columbia on Sunday afternoon local time, killing five British tourists.
Transport Canada also said that the department is cooperating fully with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) in their investigation to determine the root causes of the accident.
”We have deployed three inspectors to the accident site who will verify that the vessel operator was in compliance with the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 at the time of the accident,” Transport Canada said in a statement.
TSB determined that the Leviathan II departed Tofino at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on a whale-watching tour. There were 24 passengers and 3 crew members on board. Around 3:45 p.m. PDT, the vessel experienced problems and took on water.
In the coming days TSB investigators will collect any available data, conduct interviews with crew members and passengers, review meteorological conditions, examine and photograph the wreckage, examine the maintenance history of the vessel, review the operation of the equipment, review operational policies, and examine the regulatory requirements.
The Leviathan II is operated by Jamie’s Whaling Station & Adventure Centres. The vessel is partially submerged around 8 nautical miles northwest off Tofino.
Image: Albert Titian/Facebook
