At first mistaken for a sunken vessel, police on Pender Island said an SUV spotted in the water 50 feet from shore there accidentally drove down the boat launch in Thieves Bay, and that the vehicle’s only occupant — the driver — was found later uninjured.
Three youth called 911 around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, according to Outer Gulf Islands RCMP, after they realized what they’d thought was a boat was actually a vehicle –– sending police, Pender Island Fire Rescue and Coast Guard assets from Ganges to the scene.
The driver’s door was found open, according to acting detachment commander Const. Marcel Taekema, which came as some relief to investigators Sunday night as it suggested anyone who had been inside was likely able to escape.
Coast Guard crews searched the shoreline to be on the safe side, but RCMP said police located the driver later and confirmed they had been the only one in the SUV at the time.
Pender Island Fire Rescue and RCMP were able to lash a cable around the SUV and remove it from the ocean, preventing further environmental damage.