Two boaters and their dog flee burning pleasure craft in B.C.’s Gulf Islands

GALIANO ISLAND, B.C. – The coast guard says two people and a dog are safe after their boat caught fire in waters east of Vancouver Island.

The fire happened aboard a 15-metre pleasure boat in Active Pass, located of the southern Gulf Islands, where thick black smoke could be seen billowing from the vessel.

Coast guard officer Darren Morely says the two boaters got into a dingy with their dog and paddled away from the burning boat.

Morely says several nearby vessels, including a whale watching boat, picked them up.

He says there were no reported injuries, but an RCMP boat took the pair to a nearby clinic as a precaution.

Morely said coast guard vessels remained at the scene to watch the boat burn.