Kelowna couple rescued by fire department after boat starts sinking on Okanagan Lake

A Kelowna couple are feeling very grateful after the city’s fire department rescued them as their boat was sinking on Okanagan Lake.

Indra Trujillo and Brent Roberts, who live near Mission Creek, were heading home from Peachland in their Chaparral jet boat last night when they started to take on water.

It slowed down to about 10 mp/h, Trujillo said, before “dying completely.”

Then it got dark – leaving the couple stranded on the lake and slowly sinking while unable to properly see what was happening.

“It was very scary,” Trujillo explained.

“The whole engine area was full of water, more than we could bail out – we were very stressed.

“We had everything prepared for an emergency, but we couldn’t light our flares. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.”

That's when they really needed a hero.

After they called 911, the Kelowna Fire Department sent them several.

“They were so calming and supportive and had such a positive attitude,” Trujillo said.

The fire department team towed Trujillo and Roberts back to their dock, explaining to the couple that they wouldn’t typically do that but because the boat might pose a hazard to other people on the water it was crucial for them to clear it away.

Trujillo said that, usually, she would have brought her saviours some brownies – but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s now out of the question.

Instead, she wants to sing their praises and make sure they realize how appreciative she and her husband are.

“I just want to thank them so much for helping us, for not judging us, for using humour,” she said.

“They do so much – they have so many different roles,” she added. “They were amazing.”

She also praised the 911 operator for their patience and helpfulness.