A boating accident near Finlayson Arm on Tuesday evening has left one man missing, while a mother and her infant were rescued and taken to hospital.
Just after 6:15 p.m. on April 22nd, West Shore RCMP responded to a report of an unoccupied boat circling in the ocean near the 200-block of the Trans Canada Highway.
The roughly 20-foot vessel was spotted moving erratically in the water with no one on board. Police say three people had been on the boat when the accident occurred, causing all of them to be thrown overboard.
Two of the occupants—a mother and her baby—were located on shore and rescued. Both were transported to hospital for medical care.
The third person on board, 43-year-old Ryan Mazar, remains missing.
An extensive search and rescue effort was launched by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Victoria, involving both watercraft and aircraft. The search continues today in the Finlayson Arm area, with a large presence of search and rescue teams expected to remain in the area.
Mazar is described as a Caucasian male, 43 years old, with brown eyes and short grey hair styled in a mohawk. He stands between 6’2” and 6’5” and weighs approximately 230 pounds. He has a large tattoo on his left bicep and forearm with nautical designs, and a tattoo of Vancouver Island on his right arm.
Anyone with information that may assist in the search is urged to contact West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264.
