B.C. RCMP team helps rescue 12 stranded kayakers near U.S. border

SURREY — An RCMP team patrolling the waters near the border between Canada and the United States helped rescue a group of 12 kayakers, including six children.

British Columbia RCMP says in a release that a team conducting patrols as part of the Canada-U.S. Shiprider program were alerted Thursday by a U.S. Coast Guard broadcast.

The alert said the group of six kayaks reported being in distress in waters between Patos and Sucia islands, part of the San Juan Islands off Washington state.

The RCMP team along with the coast guard and Washington State Park authorities were able to find and bring onboard the stranded kayakers and all are uninjured.

Police say the kayakers are members of two families who went on an overnight guided tour when they encountered challenging conditions on their return trip and called for help.

The Shiprider program between Canada and the United States allows for an integrated enforcement of maritime laws in the undisputed waterways shared by both countries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.