Mounties are investigating after a 40-foot fishing trawler ran aground in a village north of Powell River on Thursday.

The vessel ran into trouble and slammed into the marina in the small community of Lund around 10 p.m.

According to witnesses, people onboard intentionally crashed into the marina to keep the boat from sinking.

Local coast guard crews and an environmental response team from Richmond were called in.

Witnesses said three people were taken to hospital and the vessel’s captain was arrested.

“He did not want to come off no, the coast guard and the RCMP got him off,” harbour manager, Darlene Denholm, said. “We knew the boat would be submerged, it was imperative we got him off.”

Police have remained tight-lipped on the incident, only saying that it’s under investigation.

Crews worked to get the trawler off the sea floor on Friday.

The coast guard is trying to track down the vessel’s owner to let them know they’re on the hook for the cleanup costs.

With files from CTV Vancouver Island's Gord Kurbis