A tugboat operator who made a mayday distress call on Monday (Oct. 23) was found drowned off the coast of Vancouver.

RCMP say the 61-year-old man called for aid from Victoria鈥檚 Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at 1:30 p.m., but that search and rescue crews couldn鈥檛 find him in time. A bystander walking along the water near the University of British Columbia stumbled upon the man鈥檚 body shortly before 3 p.m. and pulled it ashore.

Emergency responders attempted to revive the man, but he was declared dead at the scene.

The Canadian Coast Guard sent dive crews in to scour the area for anyone else who may have been onboard the vessel, but found no one. They did discover the man鈥檚 tugboat sunk in the ocean, which RCMP say may have capsized as a result of strong winds and turbulence.

The UBC detachment says they are still investigating the full cause of the accident.

鈥淥ur hearts go out to the man鈥檚 family and friends in this difficult time,鈥� Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in a statement.

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