By Canadian Press

Boating BC head warns against false sense of security in wake of deadly crash

Jun 9, 2025 | 2:22 PM

VANCOUVER — The executive director of Boating BC is warning against a false sense of security on the water compared to a busy road, and that aquatic crashes can happen in an instant if safety isn’t a top priority.

The advocacy association’s Bruce Hayne says deadly crashes like the one that claimed the life of a child in the waters off Cates Park in North Vancouver on Saturday are infrequent, but are “absolutely horrific when they do occur.”

North Vancouver RCMP said an 11-year-old died and another child was in critical condition after the inflatable inner tube they were riding was struck by a speed boat.

Hayne says the association does safety campaigns every year as boating season begins around the May long weekend, encouraging safe speeds, life-jacket use and sober operating.

He says some boaters may feel a “false sense of openness and security out in the water” compared to car drivers, and mistakenly believe there’s less enforcement of the rules and regulations on the water.

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RCMP said the driver of the boat was taken into custody after the crash, and alcohol and speed may have been a factor, but no charges have been laid and police continue to investigate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press