One boater rescued, another missing, in Kitimat harbour

KITIMAT, B.C. – A search continued early Friday for a missing boater in Kitimat harbour.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria said two people were on board a four-metre long aluminum vessel when it overturned Thursday night in heavy rain and near zero visibility.

Coast Guard officer Dylan Carter said one of the two people tried to swim to shore and was rescued about 180 metres from land and taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

Carter said the second boater was last seen clinging to the overturned boat.

He said five vessels from the Coast Guard auxiliary, RCMP and the Haisla Nation community were taking part in the search along with a pair of search-and-rescue aircraft. A helicopter was expected to join the search but the Victoria centre said poor weather kept it grounded.

Carter said the rescued boater told authorities in hospital that the boat took on water before it overturned as they headed to shore.