In a live media briefing Wednesday afternoon, the Canadian Coast Guard provided updates regarding the MV Zim Kingston vessel fire and loss of cargo containers off the coast of Vancouver Island.
In original reports by the Canadian Coast Guard, it was predicted that 40 cargo containers went overboard in the incident.
After a thorough inventory was taken by the owner of the ship, this number has now been updated to a total of 109 containers overboard and missing off the coast of Vancouver Island.
The Canadian Coast Guard says this number may change as further investigation proceeds, as it is possible some of these missing cargo containers burned up on the ship that they are not yet aware of.
The inventory also allowed further insight into what was within the containers. Items include Christmas decorations, furniture, car parts, clothes, toys, yoga mats, industrial parts, stand up paddle boards and more.
Additionally, two of the missing cargo containers are said to contain dangerous goods.
Today, Coast Guard helicopters flew between Tofino and Cape Scott, in an attempt to locate the missing containers.
Three of the containers were spotted along the shores of Cape Scott. Limited details are available at this time as the helicopters remain airborne.
BC Parks, as well as team members working within the Cape Scott lighthouse, have been notified of the containers on shore.
It has been speculated that, by this point, many of the remaining cargo containers may have sunk.
The Coast Guard, Ministry of Environment, CRD and First Nations groups continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.
The MV Zim Kingston is currently anchored 4.7 nautical miles from shore of Vancouver Island. The anchors are holding and no drifting of the boat has been recorded.
A one nautical mile emergency zone surrounding the vessel remains in place as established by the Coast Guard under the Canada Shipping Act.
Once safe, Transport Canada will conduct an examination of vessel records as well as conduct a physical examination of the vessel itself.
In the past twenty four hours, a total of 106 air samples have been taken along the coast of Vancouver Island.
Island Health are actively monitoring the situation and at this time they have no concerns of harm to Vancouver Islanders from the fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
