A B.C. RCMP team helped the U.S. Coast Guard rescue a group of kayakers, including six children, off the coast of Washington state.
RCMP say they received a call from the Coast Guard around 1:50 p.m. on Aug. 15, asking for assistance answering a distress call from a group of kayakers.
The group of 12 people from two families were on six kayaks and needed rescuing near Patos Island and Sucia Island, according to RCMP.
“The RCMP Federal Policing – Pacific Region Shiprider team who were patrolling nearby waters, responded immediately and located the kayakers, six of which were children,” RCMP said.
The team worked alongside Washington State Park authorities and the Coast Guard Shiprider crew to get the kayakers onto their vessels, police said.
The 12 kayakers had gone on an overnight guided kayaking tour, RCMP said. When the group were on their way back, they encountered “challenging conditions.”
RCMP said the group realized the conditions had “surpassed their capabilities to safely continue,” and made the call for help.
The group was safely rescued and taken back to Orcas Island. There were no injuries reported, but they were “understandably shaken” by the incident, according to police.
“This incident highlights the great teamwork between the RCMP Shiprider and USCG Shiprider,” said Insp. Jim Leonard of the RCMP Federal Policing – Pacific Region.
Leonard said that rescue operations were not typically the primary role of the policing unit.
He added that the Shiprider’s presence on the water “allows us to respond when emergencies arise, reflecting our shared commitment to public safety.”
Shiprider’s vessels are crewed by law enforcement from both countries, according to the RCMP website.
Officers undergo joint training to participate and are authorized to enforce the law in both countries.
The armed officers travel back and forth across the border to deal with threats to national security, cross-border smuggling, and trafficking, the website said. It involves monitoring vessels in both Canadian and U.S. waters. Operations are conducted under the control of law enforcement officers of the host country, assisted by officers of the visiting country.
RCMP said that while the Coast Guard does arm some of its ships with mounted guns, “none of the vessels used during Canada-U.S. Shiprider operations are equipped with mounted guns.”
