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A boat spotted doing circles around six kilometres north of Port Hardy got the attention of the Marine Authority last week.
They alerted the Port Hardy RCMP that the fishing vessel, around 10 metres long, was being operated in an erratic manner, potentially due to an impaired operator.
When RCMP arrived at the marina, they were able to view the boat through binoculars and noted that it was circling the same spot in the open water.
The Canadian Coast Guard transported a pair of officers towards the circling vessel, which was travelling with some speed in a continuous right hand circle, not even 200 metres in circumference.
After failed attempts to wake up the slumped over driver, a decision was made to board the still moving vessel and try to bring it under control.
It wasn’t an easy task due to the large wake being produced by the fishing vessel, but the Coast Guard was able to get close enough to allow an RCMP officer to jump aboard.
That officer was able to remove the boat operator from the helm and bring the boat under control.
The driver was examined and it was determined that he was "grossly impaired" and an open container of liquor was located nearby.
Another man was found sleeping in the hold of the vessel and he was intoxicated as well.
With the situation now under control, the boat and two men were returned to the marina and the boat’s operator was arrested for impaired operation of a vessel.
His intoxication levels were so high that he was brought to Port Hardy Hospital for further examination.
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