Four rescued, one fisherman missing after herring boat sinks near Comox

Four of five crew members were rescued from a fishing boat that capsized Monday afternoon off Comox, but the fifth herring fisherman is presumed to be trapped inside the vessel, under more than 250 metres of water off Cape Lazo.

An exhaustive search of the water surface three to four nautical miles off Comox, which lasted more than four hours, did not turn up any sign of the missing crew member, said Capt. Greg Clarke of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria.

The vessel capsized in a matter of 10 to 15 seconds after listing, with witnesses saying the missing crew member had just gone down to the engine room.

Monday was the opening day of the commercial seine roe-herring fishery in the Strait of Georgia. The rescued crew members escaped into the water and were picked up immediately by other vessels close by, Clarke said.

The search for their comrade was conducted in good-weather conditions over a defined area, with minimal drift, he said.

The Vancouver Sun identified the capsized vessel as the Miss Cory, a 19.5-metre wooden vessel built in 1956 and based in Prince Rupert.

The call for help came in at 4:01 p.m., Clarke said. Several Canadian Coast Guard vessels as well as a 442 Squadron Cormorant helicopter from nearby CFB Comox were on the scene almost immediately, along with dozens of other vessels taking part in the herring fishery, he said.

Clarke said survivability at the depth where the vessel came to rest would be “very challenging.”

The case was turned over to the RCMP about 8:20 p.m.