RCMP marine unit rescues 11 people after canoe overturns in Burrard Inlet

Eleven people, including several youths, were rescued from the waters of Burrard Inlet after a large canoe overturned near Ambleside Beach on Saturday afternoon, according to the BC RCMP.

Police said officers with the RCMP Tactical Marine Operations Group (TMOG), who were conducting patrols in Burrard Inlet, received a distress call over Marine VHF Channel at about 3:30 p.m. on July 5 reporting an overturned canoe off Ambleside Beach. Four TMOG vessels were dispatched to the scene.

According to the RCMP, officers arriving at the location found all 11 occupants clinging to the overturned canoe. A Tactical Rescue Diver was deployed after some people experienced difficulty staying afloat. All occupants were safely recovered from the water and brought aboard RCMP vessels.

The RCMP said Emergency Response Team officers coordinated with BC Emergency Health Services and the West Vancouver Police Department during the rescue. Officers conducted initial medical assessments and determined the occupants were experiencing cold-water exposure but had no apparent major injuries.

The incident occurred while RCMP officers were deployed to the Vancouver area as part of security operations connected to FIFA World Cup 2026 activities. The RCMP did not release further information about the circumstances that caused the canoe to overturn.