Tugboat with barge in tow capsizes and sinks in British Columbia 

A tugboat capsized and sank off the coast of Westham Island in British Columbia, Canada, on March 6, but thankfully no one was injured or killed. 

According to regional news source the South Delta Leader, the Catherwood Towing-owned Sea Imp XV was transporting a Fraser River Pile and Dredge crane barge when the incident occurred. Fraser River Pile and Dredge president Tom Lively told the source that most of his crew was working downstream at the time, so they weren't onboard and didn't know what had happened until the vessel started taking on water. Catherwood Towing's Ernie Catherwood declined to comment on what caused the watercraft to sink.

The area of the river where the boat went down wasn't very deep, so pulling it out of the water was a routine procedure, stated Captain Phillip Nelson, president of the Council of Marine Carriers. 

"If it was a deep sea ship, for instance, you might not have even noticed it sunk," Nelson told the South Delta Leader. "But the smaller tugs and pleasure craft and that type of thing will sink but they're not too far down below the surface."

The event did send two men into the cold river water, but one of them was rescued, while the other reportedly swam to shore. 

This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers watercraft operators face when they take their vessel out onto the water – whether it's in the ocean, a river or anything in between. With this in mind, it's a good idea for individuals and organizations to work with a marine insurance agency to gain access to the highest-rated providers in the industry and ensure that they are covered in the case of a maritime accident.

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