UPDATED Emergency personnel evacuated an ill seaman from a Royal Canadian Navy submarine just off Westview on Wednesday afternoon, May 1.

HMCS Victoria was in the Powell River area prior to a Canadian Armed Forces joint exercise off the west coast of Vancouver Island, called Trident Fury 13.

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Rob Southcott, BC Ambulance Service paramedic chief in Powell River, went out to the submarine with his partner Cam Bailey on the Powell River Coast Guard vessel, Cape Caution. “BC Ambulance was tasked to respond to the submarine to evacuate an ill seaman,” he said.

The Coast Guard, Southcott and Bailey transported the sailor to Powell River General Hospital, where he received care in the emergency department. “He was in stable condition,” Southcott said. “We just received him from the Navy doctor and took him to the hospital.”

As well, a Canadian Forces Sea King helicopter dropped a search and rescue technician on board the submarine for assistance, Southcott said.

Andrew Bryant, a Powell River resident who has an interest in submarines, said he was on top of a 20-foot extension ladder on a roof when his wife Heather called him to tell him there was a submarine in the harbour. “She knows I’m interested in these kinds of things,” Bryant said.

He climbed down, ran home, grabbed his camera and headed for the Westview viewpoint. “Holy crap, it’s a submarine,” he said. “I followed it south and I tootled down to Myrtle Rocks.”

There was a “seriously low tide,” so Bryant decided to walk out to the rocks. However, by the time he reached the pinnacle on Myrtle Rocks, the submarine had submerged, Bryant said. “I had my tripod, my long lens and all that stuff and I missed it,” he said.

However, a Sea King helicopter flew in, Bryant said, and it started dipping a sonobouy. “Then, apparently, [the submarine] threw out the Navy Seals,” he said.

By this time, they were about a mile down Malaspina Strait, said Bryant. “The scuba divers popped up,” he said. “They were blowing green smoke and yellow smoke. Then the Sea King flew in and picked up the Navy guys.”

The whole experience was “desperately cool,” Bryant said. “It’s not something you see every day in Powell River.”

The submarine is one of four purchased by the Canadian government from the British government in 1998. The Canadian Navy took over the vessel in 2000 and commissioned it HMCS Victoria on December 2, 2000.

Captain Linda Coleman, public affairs officer for the Maritime Forces Pacific base in Esquimalt, said the vessel was conducting submarine officer continuation training in preparation for Trident Fury 13, which takes place from Friday, May 3 to May 19. It is a biennial joint and bi-national naval exercise hosted by Maritime Forces Pacific and includes participation by the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Air National Guard and the United States Coast Guard.

The HMCS Victoria was in the Powell River area on its way to a Canadian Armed Forces joint exercise off the west coast of Vancouver Island, called Trident Fury 13.

Rob Southcott, BC Ambulance Service paramedic chief in Powell River, went out to the sub with his partner Cam Bailey on the Powell River Coast Guard vessel, the Cape Caution. “BC Ambulance was tasked to respond to the submarine to evacuate an ill seaman,” he said.

The Coast Guard, Southcott and Bailey transported the sailor to Powell River General Hospital, where he received care in the emergency department. “He was in stable condition,” Southcott said. “We just received him from the Navy doctor and took him to the hospital.”

As well, a Canadian Forces Sea King helicopter dropped a search and rescue technician on board the sub for assistance, Southcott said.

Trident Fury 13 takes place from Friday, May 3 to May 19. It is a biennial joint and bi-national naval exercise hosted by Maritime Forces Pacific and includes participation by the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Air National Guard and the United States Coast Guard.