Vessel owner asks for witnesses after kill switch flip led to grounding off Vancouver

VANCOUVER — The operator of a vessel that ran aground on a sandbar off Vancouver last month says “malicious” tampering was the cause and he’s urging witnesses to come forward.

Kevin Skewes, the owner of Spirit Cruises, says someone hit the Pride of Vancouver’s kill switch on the night of Oct. 23 during a celebration cruise for this year’s high-school graduates.

Police in North Vancouver said 150 teens and their chaperones were on the vessel at the time and an RCMP marine unit and a Canadian Coast Guard vessel attended to lend a hand.

Skewes says no one is injured and their finding was reported to the Transportation Safety Board.