The search for three West Coast residents continued on Saturday as local boaters, RCMP and search and rescue crews maintained their collaborative efforts.
Grateful for all the people & resources back out today searching for three much-loved men. Thanks for all the messages & love. , , teams from Alberni Rescue, Arrowsmith, , , & so many locals from
乌鸦传媒� Josie Osborne (@Josie_Osborne)
Five men were tossed into the water when their tin boat sank near Duffin Cove around 3 a.m. Two were located, one pulled from the water and another who swam to shore.
Members of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation have been supporting each other at Tofino乌鸦传媒檚 First Street Dock, waiting for updates on the three missing men.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e all focused really hard on resolving the situation in the best way that we can,乌鸦传媒� Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Executive Assistant Connor Paone told the Westerly News at the dock on Saturday.
乌鸦传媒淲e have a lot of committed professional people on the water, on land and in the skies right now乌鸦传媒he mood on the dock is hopeful. It乌鸦传媒檚 sorrowful because of the situation that乌鸦传媒檚 going on, of course. Right now, we乌鸦传媒檙e just trying to keep our spirits up. We have a lot of people here trying to cheer people up and we have a lot of support from all the communities on the Coast here helping us do that.乌鸦传媒�
He added West Coast communities have proven their ability to come together in a crisis.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e been here before. Every handful of years there乌鸦传媒檚 a tragedy on the Coast and, every time that happens, you see all the communities come together,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淐ulturally speaking, the [Tla-o-qui-aht] Nation乌鸦传媒檚 really close. All the families are really close with each other and anyone that乌鸦传媒檚 involved or has been around can see that just with the amount of people that are here, the amount of donations that have come in from local businesses, from family members, from the community at large to help support the families and the people that are on and off the water searching.乌鸦传媒�
While and handed the file over to the RCMP as a missing person乌鸦传媒檚 case, Westcoast Inland Search and Rescue Manager Garth Cameron told the Westerly that the search team was bolstered Saturday morning with SAR crews arriving from Nanaimo, Comox and Courtenay.
乌鸦传媒淏oth the Tla-o-qui-aht and have a ton of boats on the water and lots of boots on the ground,乌鸦传媒� he added.
Cameron said the search乌鸦传媒檚 momentum has not waned in the second day.
乌鸦传媒淓verybody deals with tragedy differently. From a SAR manager point of view乌鸦传媒e just push, push, push,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e always hopeful and it乌鸦传媒檚 always a search. We乌鸦传媒檙e looking for somebody. When we find that person, then we乌鸦传媒檒l cross that bridge; whatever that bridge may be and I, for one, will never speculate that it乌鸦传媒檚 something else besides a search. Right now, we are still looking for three missing people.乌鸦传媒�
Paone said the best way for locals to assist is through donations of food and water to the search teams and that any boaters wanting to join the effort should check in at the dock first.
乌鸦传媒淚f you want to get involved in the search, don乌鸦传媒檛 just head out on your own,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淢ake sure you乌鸦传媒檙e checking with Search and Rescue. If you乌鸦传媒檙e unsure, the best thing to do is come down to the First Street Dock here and check in in person with them to make sure that we get you tasked out officially. The worst thing that could happen is to have another set of people head out there and get stuck themselves.乌鸦传媒�
