On the morning of February 1st, 2026, WCMRC was activated to respond to marine pollution following a fire that sank three yachts at Van Isle Marina in Sidney, B.C. The incident presented a complex set of challenges, combining sunken vessels, fire damage, and the release of product in a confined marina environment. Crews from WCMRC’s Sidney response base mobilized quickly with a response vessel and an equipment trailer to establish on-water containment to prevent the spread of fuel and protect sensitive areas.
During the first operational period, crews focused on containment and mechanical recovery as product continued to upwell from the sunken vessels. Additional vessels arrived on-scene, while a skimmer, sorbents, and a mini barge were used to recover and store product.
As the response progressed, salvage operations for the sunken vessels began alongside product recovery efforts. Additional support arrived from WCMRC’s Beecher Bay and Nanaimo response bases, strengthening on-scene capacity. Crews would conduct early-morning site assessments and resume skimming within the containment areas after daily safety briefings. Throughout the salvage operations, WCMRC crews maintained the containment and continued to recover the oil and oiled debris.
As the recovery goals were met, boom and equipment were removed, and shoreline treatment recommendations identified through the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) were addressed.
At the peak of the response operations, nearly 40 spill responders were on-scene, organized within the marina to improve efficiency and oversight. Strong leadership and coordination supported safe, effective operations. Over the course of the response, more than 1,500 bags of solid waste and over 10,000 litres of oily waste were recovered.