It took the Sea-Island coast guard thirty-one minutes to respond to a boat that had run aground in English Bay Saturday afternoon. Crews left the base at 4:39pm, arriving on scene at 5:10.
Coast Guard officials say if crews had been at the now closed Kitsilano Coast Guard Base, the response time would have been mere minutes.
But officials say even when it was open, resources weren’t always at the base as crews were often out patrolling or on other calls.
David Dahlgen says stormy waters caused some delay in Saturday’s response.
“It was simply, I wouldn’t say a derelict vessel, but simply a vessel adrift. It didn’t power ashore, it looks like it broke loose from its moorings due to the weather conditions.”
Dahlgen says
Volunteer coast guard crews from horseshoe bay were also called, and made it to there in 11 minutes.
A police boat was on scene, but because no one could tell if there was someone aboard the boat, they had to wait for the Coast Guard.
“We know that things are different now,” say Coast Guard crews, adding things haven’t been too busy since the Kits based closed, and the summer will be the true test of what response will be like without the base.
With files from CKNW’s Alison Bailey
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