Tofino boat victims weren't wearing life-jackets, says B.C. Coroners Service

All of the known victims of Sunday's whale-watchcapsizingnearTofino, B.C., have been identified, and were not wearing life-jackets when they were found, saysthe B.C. Coroners Service.

Five British nationals died when the 19-metre-long MV Leviathan II went down off the coast of Vancouver Island. Twenty-one people, including three crew members, were rescued.

The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the names and agesof five victims:

• Katie Taylor, 29, ofWhistler, B.C.
• Jack Slater, 76, of Toronto.
• Nigel Francis Hooker, 63, of Southampton, U.K.
• David Wyndham Thomas, 50, of Swindon, U.K.
• Stephen David Thomas, 18, also of Swindon, son of David Thomas.

Five coroners are workingalongside the Transportation Safety Board and RCMPon the investigation into the incident and whether similar deaths could be prevented in the future.

It may take months, said B.C. regional coroner Matt Brown.

"Those who died in this incident deserve this [investigation], as do their family members, their loved ones, survivors and members of the community and the public."

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Post-mortem examinations will be conducted on some of the victims to determine how they died, said Brown.

"The initial investigation and findings at this point suggest they weren't wearing life-jackets," he said. "Will that be part of a question of an ongoing investigation? I'm certain it will be."

Life-jackets are not required to be worn on a vessel of this size, though rescuers said at least one survivor was wearing one.

Father, son died in capsizing

The youngest victim, Stephen Thomas, had Down syndrome and was anaward-winning photographerandblogger. His father, David, was a managing architect with Microsoft,according to U.K. reports.

University of Nottingham student Paul Thomas, 22,told theSwindonAdvertiserhis mother, Julie, was also on the boat, but survived and is recuperating in hospital with minor injuries. Thomas is flying to B.C. today to be with his mother and has asked the public to respect his family's privacy.

In aFacebookpost, MicheleSlaterBrownmourned the loss of her father, JackSlater.

"Our hearts are broken today, our father was one of the people who lost their lives on the whale-watching tragedy inTofino," said the post.

The British consulgeneral in Vancouver, Rupert Potter, called the accident "a serious tragedy" andsaid he will be travelling toTofinoto help any affected families.

Eighteen peopleweretaken toTofinoGeneral Hospital Sunday, and some were subsequently transferred to other hospitals.

Four patients remained in hospital on Monday night, one each atTofinoGeneral,NanaimoRegionalGeneral, Royal Jubilee Hospitalin Victoriaand Vancouver General. No information on their conditionswas available.

The search resumed this morning for a sixth person an Australian man who was also on the whale-watching boat.

TheU.K.'sDaily Mailisreportingthatthe man is a 27-year-old tourist from Sydney.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it's "providing consular assistance" toanAustralian family following the incident. The missing man's girlfriend's father was among the dead, the Australian Associated Press reported.