Harbour Cruises yacht runs aground off shores of West Vancouver
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria says it learned the MV Harbour Princess ran aground off West Vancouver late Sunday morning.
The MV Harbour Princess belongs to Harbour Cruises, a local cruise ship and marine operator.
The boat hit rocks east of Point Atkinson near Lighthouse Park, with the marine rescue coordination centre notified of the crash around 11:30 a.m.
'We were having lunch and all of a sudden, 'boom' we hear and we crashed,' said one passenger.
It is unclear how many passengers were on board the vessel, which touts a capacity of up to 275 guests.
'It was a very abrupt stop, a lot of broken glass,' said another.
Story continues below advertisement
0:56
Rescue at sea performed by Canadian and U.S. crews
A large response followed, including a hovercraft from the JRCC, multiple Coast Guard boats, the Vancouver Police Department's marine unit, and several civilian vessels.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Passengers remained on board while the vessel was freed from the rocks. It then made its way back to port in Coal Harbour with help from a hovercraft.
'We received orders to go to the lower deck, put our life jackets on, and [there was] no problem. We were saved.'
Story continues below advertisement
After coming ashore, passengers told Global News that even though the vessel did not take on water, it was a scary experience.
'When I felt it, I knew we ran aground,' said Michael.
'With all the glass breaking and stuff, and that poor baby crying, that was one of the worst experiences I've ever experienced in my life.'
B.C. Emergency Health Services reported one patient was transported to hospital in stable condition.
Global News reached out to the company for more information on why the boat ran off course, but they declined to comment at this time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
41 minutes ago
- CBC
Canadian military makes aid drop into Gaza
CBC News had exclusive access to a Canadian Armed Forces plane that dropped about 10,000 kilograms of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the first time Canada joined the airdrop operations. Several countries airdropped food on Monday, but aid organizations agree they are more symbolic than effective.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Harbour Cruise boat to be inspected by 3rd party after hitting rocks off West Vancouver
The vessel that ran aground near Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver on Sunday morning will be inspected by a third party, the company involved said in a statement on Monday. MV Harbour Princess belongs to Harbour Cruises, a local cruise ship and marine operator. The boat hit rocks east of Point Atkinson near Lighthouse Park, with the marine rescue coordination centre notified of the crash around 11:30 a.m. Harbour Cruises said the collision resulted in minor damage to the ship and one of the passengers suffered minor injuries. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident and out of an abundance of caution, the vessel will be hauled out of the water for an inspection by a third party. Harbour Cruises said it expects the boat to be back in service in seven to 10 days. Story continues below advertisement The company, which is owned by the Graham Clarke Group, has been in operation since 1908. 'I'd like to extend my sympathies to our passengers who had their cruise affected by this unfortunate situation,' said Graham Clarke, owner of Graham Clarke Group. 'We pride ourselves on an excellent safety record that goes back nearly 120 years. Thankfully, just one passenger experienced an injury. I'd also like to thank our crew for their quick response as well as the Canadian Coast Guard, Vancouver Police Department marine squad and Joint Rescue Coordination Centre for their assistance.' The company confirmed all passengers were refunded their fares and any passengers booked on upcoming cruises will be served by a different vessel.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Harbour Cruises vessel ran aground off Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver
VANCOUVER – Harbour Cruises says one passenger was injured after its 'flagship' sightseeing vessel ran aground in the waters off West Vancouver on Sunday. The cruise operator says there were 41 passengers on board, but the MV Harbour Princess did not take on water after running aground near Lighthouse Park, and one passenger suffered a minor injury but the vessel was not damaged. Harbour Cruises says in a statement that the boat was able to return to Coal Harbour on its own, but was escorted by search and rescue boats. The company says the vessel was built in 1994 and it's being taken out of service for an inspection 'out of an abundance of caution.' It says the Transportation Safety Board will be investigating and the vessel is expected to be back in the water in seven to 10 days. Company owner Graham Clarke says he extends his sympathies to affected passengers and thanked responders for their help, and the company says passengers on the voyage got their fares refunded. This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 4, 2025.
