Police save man and his dog when boat sinks in Victoria-area Gorge

VICTORIA – Members of the Victoria and Saanich police departments combined forces on Friday morning to rescue a man when his boat sank in the Gorge Waterway.

Police say officers responded to reports of the sinking near the Tillicum Bridge at around 4:30 a.m.

The boat had already capsized when police arrived and officers spotted the man who lived aboard and his dog clinging to the side of the vessel.

Police say as the current was moving the boat, a K9 officer helped the man up a ladder to safety.

The man was treated at the scene and then transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Saanich officers were also able to safely rescue the man’s dog.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27, 2019.