BC

Photo: CTV

Two fishermen were rescued by Coast Guard crews just off of Vancouver on March 6, 2013.

A fishing boat has gone down in Georgia Strait, off Point Grey, west of Vancouver, but its two crewmembers are safe.

The Rescue Co-Ordination Centre in Victoria says a mayday call was picked up at 5:15 a.m. and numerous coast guard, RCMP and commercial boats raced to the scene.

By the time the first ship, a tugboat, arrived, the fishboat had already sunk but the two crewmembers were spotted in the water.

Coast Guard Officer John Milman says the coast guard hovercraft arrived minutes later and picked up the pair, who were treated for hypothermia.

Rescues in waters off Vancouver have been in the spotlight recently because of the closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard base.

Critics of the closure have claimed it will dramatically slow any response.