Canadian authorities have said that a whale-watching boat carrying more than two dozen passengers sank off the coast of British Columbia leaving five people dead and one still missing.
The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the tour boat, Leviathan II, sent out a mayday call late Sunday afternoon before it sank near Tofino on Vancouver Island . The vessel was carrying 27 passengers, five of which are dead and one who is confirmed missing.
Melissa Kai, spokeswoman for the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Center said that 21 of the other passengers were rescued before the search was called off.
Eighteen of those people were transported to the hospital, but are all listed in stable condition.
Jamie's Whaling Station and Adventure Centers released a statement saying that the company is heartbroken over the tragedy and cooperating with officials.
"It has been a tragic day. Our entire team is heartbroken over this incident. We are doing everything we can to assist our passengers and staff through this difficult time. We are co-operating with investigators to determine exactly what happened."
What caused the ship to sink is unknown at this time and currently under investigation.
BBC noted that Tofino is a popular whale-watching resort where the season runs from March through October.