San Juan Whale-Watching Boat Evacuated

Eleven passengers were safely evacuated from a whale-watching vessel that began taking on water in the San Juan Islands, the Coast Guard said Tuesday.

The Ocean Sun, a vessel from Victoria, British Columbia, made a distress call at 1:30 p.m. about 1 miles off Lopez Island, near Iceberg Point.

A second whale-watching vessel nearby, the Spy Hopper, safely took aboard all 11 passengers from the Ocean Sun.

The Coast Guard cutter Cuttyhunk responded and was pumping water from the Ocean Sun, which was in no danger of sinking, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Della Price.

The Cuttyhunk was to tow the boat back to Victoria, she said.

The reason the vessel was taking on water was not immediately known.