fishing trawler sinks in canada
VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) -- Four-time NASCAR Winston West Series Smith drowned when a commercial fishing trawler sank off northern Vancouver Island, rchampion Roy escue officials said.
Smith, 59, of Malahat, was a crew member of the 80-foot Hope Bay, which foundered in heavy seas early Thursday about 60 miles north of Vancouver Island in Queen Charlotte Sound. Two other members died, and one was rescued, Dennis Kimoto of the Rescue Coordination Center in Victoria said.
Smith competed in the Daytona 500 three times, and was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2002. His best finish at Daytona was 10th in 1982.
The other victims were Derek Myers, 48, of Victoria, and Dennis Webber, 44, of Errington.
Michael Slusar of Nanaimo, a Canadian Fisheries Department observer, was in good condition Thursday after being rescued and taken to Port Hardy, along with the bodies of two crew members.
The body of a third man was recovered several hours later, Kimoto said. It wasn't immediately clear when Smith's body was found.
"I know people in the trawl fleet are very upset. They were well-known and well-qualified," Stuart Nelson of the Deep Sea Trawlers Association said.
The fishing boat was the trawler Hope Bay, out of Victoria, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said later.
The name of the fisheries observer was not available.
The 78-foot vessel had foundered just after midnight Wednesday about 56 miles north of Vancouver Island in Queen Charlotte Sound and the crew was forced to abandon ship.
has anyone heard anything else on this ???
[ 02-27-2004, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: lwagg2 ]
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