BC

The skipper of a fishing boat is facing several weapons charges in connection with the dramatic rescue of two crew members who accused him of endangering their lives off the coast of Vancouver Island.

Forty-nine-year-old Karl Thomas of Courtenay allegedly threatened to kill a 26-year-old woman and her 21-year-old male crewmate aboard a gill-netter on Sunday night.

RCMP Cpl. Darren Lagan has said the woman made a frantic call to police at about 8:30, saying the skipper was high on drugs.

As police were getting ready to respond, the woman called again to say shots had been fired.

Lagan said police used pings off cellphone towers in an attempt to locate the boat as night fell, eventually reaching it around 11 p.m. in an area northeast of Port Hardy, where the crew members were rescued.

Thomas was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.