BC Ferries said a “police incident” at the Tsawwassen ferry around 11 p.m. delayed the 10:45 p.m. sailing to Duke Point Monday evening, which O’Brien said was related to the search for the missing person. The sailing resumed around 12:55 a.m. early Tuesday morning.
It’s unclear when the person may have “entered the water”, although a considerable search effort was launched around 1 a.m.
A number of agencies, including the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Gabriola Island RCMP, Nanaimo RCMP, RCMP West Coast Marine Services, and Nanaimo Search and Rescue were involved in the multi-hour effort.
Delta police are also involved on the file, according to O’Brien.
A plane from CFB Comox provided aerial support, searching the area for around four hours beginning just before 1:30 a.m.
Flares were also clearly visible from the shore.
“That was the ongoing search, the flare was used to light up the sky and allow people to have a good viewpoint of the water,” O’Brien added.
No details on the missing individual are being released, with O’Brien citing a “privacy issue”.
He added the family of the missing person has been notified.
NanaimoNewsNOW has contacted the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre on the current status of any search efforts.
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