Boaters saved after vessel catches fire and plunges into Indian Arm waters

The Canadian Coast Guard were called to a boat fire in the Indian Arm Sunday afternoon. (Courtesy: CCG)

A boat was completely destroyed in the waters of the Indian Arm Sunday afternoon after it caught fire, smoldered for a few hours and then subsequently sank.

Crew from the Canadian Coast Guard’s Kitsilano Base responded to the fire after receiving a call shortly after noon, the CCG said in a statement Sunday evening.

All occupants were safely removed from the blazing vessel, located in the fjord just off of North Vancouver’s Deep Cove. The boat continued to burn with “visible flames” until it plunged into the waters around 3:40 p.m., the statement said.

Images taken from the scene after the boat plummeted under the surface show blazing debris topped with a tall, billowing cloud of grey smoke.

The CCG said the vessel was reported to have 1,200 litres of diesel on board before the fire occurred, and, after sinking, a small sheen was visible in the surrounding waters.

“Equipment is in place to address any pollution and to monitor for additional upwelling,” it said.