On Sunday, a whale-watching boat carrying 27 passengers sank into the waters west of Vargas Island, off the coast of British Columbia, CBC News reports. Paramedics for the BC Ambulance Service said at least three people have died.

“There are fatalities involved and survivors. We are also conducting a search to confirm that we have recovered everybody,” the Joint Rescue Victoria Coordination Centre in Tofino, British Columbia, said in a recorded message.

The tour was being operated by Jamie’s Whaling Station and Adventure Centres. The boat that sank was the three-deck MV “Leviathan II,” CTV News reports, the largest in the company’s fleet.

According to CTV News Vancouver, more than one person was killed in the accident. “We can definitely confirm we’ve been called to the dock in Tofino and we understand multiple fatalities,” said British Columbia Coroner spokeswoman Barb McClintock.

In an email to the Associated Press, McLintock could not specify exactly how many were dead: “Multiple but we don’t yet have a firm number. Still a very fluid situation so we really are not sure yet.”

“All our attention now is on our passengers and crew so we’ll be providing information as soon as the time is appropriate. That’s all I have to comment right now,” a Jamie’s employee told Reuters.

Photo credit: Rami Touffaha/Burnaby Tours & Charters. Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.