A ferry carrying nearly 100 people sank in the early hours of Wednesday off Canada's rugged Pacific Coast, but everyone on board was evacuated by lifeboat and rescued, according to Reuters. The Queen of the North was believed to have struck a rock at about 12:43 a.m. (2043 GMT) near Gil Island, about 75 miles south of Prince Rupert as it sailed though the Inside Passage on the northwest coast of British Columbia. All 99 passengers and crew escaped the stricken vessel, which is now completely submerged, said government-owned BC Ferries Corp., which operates the province's fleet of ferries, which serve as a vital transport link in the region. "We were very fortunate in this case. Fate was smiling upon everybody today," Canadian Forces Major Chuck Grenkow, who assisted in the rescue operation, told Canadian Broadcasting Corp. The passengers were taken to the isolated aboriginal village of Hartley Bay, which had sent boats to help with the rescue. Residents provided blankets and food to the victims as they were brought to shore. No serious injuries were reported, but 11 people were transported by helicopter to a Prince Rupert hospital to be treated for stress and minor injuries, according to the Victoria, British Columbia, Rescue Center. --More 22 52 Local Time 19 52 GMT
