BC

An early morning search in waters south of Nanaimo, B.C., turned out to be little more than good practice for coast guard crews and an air force rescue helicopter.

A man who may have been missing from a 25-metre fishing boat was found, safe and sound, in Nanaimo.

Three coast guard vessels, including the hovercraft based in Richmond, B.C., began scouring the waters between Nanaimo and Ladysmith before dawn on Tuesday, looking for the fisherman.

Fishboat crew members thought the man could have been aboard when the vessel set out at around 3 a.m., but he couldn't be found on the ship a few hours later.

A search of the waters off Yellow Point began as a precaution while RCMP checked locations on shore.

The man was found on shore barely an hour after the search began.