The Royal Canadian Navy and partner agencies launched a multi-hour search after a sailor fell from an RHIB near Bentinck Island at about 2:43 p.m. local time. The sailor endured roughly 49°F water and was located by an RCAF Cyclone helicopter at approximately 5:00 p.m. before being pulled aboard the Pacific Guardian and taken to medical services. Rear-Admiral David Patchell praised the coordinated rescue and said an investigation will follow; local reports indicate the sailor is recovering at home.
Navy Sailor Survives More Than 2 Hours In Icy Water — Dramatic Rescue Caught On Video
Dec 11
Royal Canadian Navy/FacebookScreenshot of rescue footage from the Royal Canadian Navy
A Royal Canadian Navy sailor survived more than two hours in frigid water after falling overboard near Bentinck Island, British Columbia, on Dec. 8. The dramatic search-and-rescue operation — hampered by high winds, large swells and darkness — was captured on video released by the Canadian Armed Forces.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria, B.C., was alerted at approximately 2:43 p.m. local time when the sailor went overboard from a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) that was returning from sentry duties near Albert Head, roughly a half nautical mile east of Bentinck Island.
Temperature in the Strait of Juan de Fuca was about 49°F (9–10°C), according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The U.S. National Weather Service warns that hypothermia risk rises sharply below 60°F: in 40–50°F water, loss of dexterity can occur in under five minutes, exhaustion or unconsciousness is likely within an hour, and expected survival time ranges from one to six hours.
The JRCC deployed multiple aircraft and vessels to the scene, including a Royal Canadian Air Force Cyclone helicopter, a Cormorant helicopter, a Kingfisher fixed-wing aircraft, a U.S. Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter, and several Canadian Coast Guard ships. His Majesty's Canadian Ship Regina and the Pacific Pilotage Authority vessel Pacific Guardian were among the assets involved in the multi-agency response.
Video released by the Canadian Armed Forces shows crews scanning the dark water before spotting signs of life. In the footage, an aircraft operator reports seeing a warm signature in the water, and later another crew member exclaims that the sailor waved — confirmation that he was alive and had been located.
"I see a heat source in the water, it’s dark as well," an aircraft operator says. "He just waved his hand up, he’s alive," another voice adds.
The Royal Canadian Air Force Cyclone located the sailor at about 5:00 p.m. local time. Crew from the Pacific Guardian recovered him from the water and transported him to local emergency health services. Local reports from Chek News say the sailor is now recovering at home; his precise medical condition has not been released.
Rear-Admiral David Patchell of Maritime Forces Pacific praised the coordinated rescue: "Thanks to the swift coordination and unwavering professionalism of all agencies involved, a life was saved today." He added that an investigation will follow to determine how the incident unfolded and stressed the importance of prompt medical evaluation for anyone recovered from cold water.
This incident highlights the risks of cold-water exposure and the readiness of cross-border and interagency search-and-rescue partners in the Pacific Northwest.
