Wednesday, August 11,
1999 Forces escort mystery ship headed for
B.C. Vessel 'pretty similar' to boat
carrying illegal immigrants
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.
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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."
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