A man was arrested after a tense standoff at sea involving a stolen fishing boat that allegedly tried to ram a police vessel and fired flares at officers near Prince Rupert.The 25-year-old suspect was taken into custody on Monday, following reports that a fishing boat stolen from Port Hardy the previous day had been spotted south of Prince Rupert. Police say the operator of the vessel refused to stop when approached by RCMP Patrol Vessel Inkster and a West Coast Marine Services boat.Officers say the situation escalated quickly and became dangerous. The suspect tried to evade police in the dark, used the vessel’s VHF radio to threaten officers, and fired flares at them. Police say he also attempted to ram their boat.After more than an hour of pursuit, the suspect ran the vessel aground, allowing police to make a safe arrest.“This was a dynamic situation that endangered everyone on the water, including the suspect, responding officers, and all other marine traffic,” said Cpl. Jeff Haney, acting sergeant with West Coast Marine Services. “We are glad this situation was safely resolved with the suspect being taken into custody, and nobody getting injured.”The grounded boat has been recovered and towed. Police say charges will be recommended as the investigation continues.
