Wednesday, August 11, 1999

Chris Wattie
National Post, with files from Jeff Lee, The Vancouver Sun, The Province and The Canadian Press

Department of National Defence The Canadian Forces released this photograph of a ship that was headed for British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands last night.

Ship Spotted at Sea

Military and immigration officials were last night escorting a ship to the Canadian shore that they suspect is loaded with illegal immigrants.

The vessel, which had no markings, was first spotted by a Canadian Forces long-range patrol plane on Monday afternoon, about 350 kilometres northwest of B.C.'s Queen Charlotte Islands, and moving closer to shore.

"One of our aircraft on a routine patrol spotted the ship," said Captain Craig Fowler, of 407 Squadron, based in Comox, B.C. "It fit the profile for a ship involved in illegal activities, so we notified the appropriate authorities."

Capt. Fowler said the CP-140 Aurora, which can spot suspicious ships from hundreds of kilometres away, flew over the mystery ship and observed no markings, identification or fishing gear on the vessel.

"It was pretty obvious this wasn't a cruise liner," he said. "It was pretty similar to the last ship that came in with illegal immigrants."

Military officials said there was no sign of people aboard the ship.

Last month, a Chinese driftnet fishing boat landed at Vancouver Island with 123 illegal immigrants. The Department of Citizenship and Immigration took that group to CFB Esquimalt, where all made claims for refugee status. Since then, all but about 35 have been released pending hearings before the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Police and immigration officials are preparing to greet this latest vessel when it enters Canadian waters, said Lieutenant Gerry Pash, public affairs officer for Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt.

The newest ship is now under constant surveillance by the long-range Aurora aircraft and the navy is considering dispatching one of four frigates stationed at Esquimalt.

The Canadian Coast Guard cutter Tanu is also on patrol in the Queen Charlotte Islands and may become the first ship to contact the mystery vessel, according to Coast Guard spokesman Micheline Brodeur.

George Varnai, regional director for Citizenship and Immigration, said his department has assumed the lead role in the case and is discussing with other agencies, including the RCMP, what to do if the ship tries to land.

"Its intentions are unclear. We are not in communication with the ship," Mr. Varnai said. "We had contingency plans in place long before the last ship landed. We weren't caught off guard by this one."

Immigration, military and RCMP officials held an emergency meeting yesterday to prepare for the arrival of what they suspect may be another boat laden with refugees from China's Fujian province.

Immigration and Citizenship officials and the RCMP departed for Sandspit, B.C., a small community on the Queen Charlotte Islands, in anticipation of the boat reaching land at a destination that remained unclear last night.

Mr. Varnai said the ship would be hailed by authorities, likely with a megaphone from another vessel and given a warning.

If the passengers are illegal migrants seeking admission to Canada, Mr. Varnai said they would likely be taken into custody and "examined for immigration purposes and possible criminal charges."