Captain of sunken vessel in B.C. waters remembered as kind, loving, independent

Ming Chen, the 23-year-old captain of a charter boat that sank off the coast of Richmond, British Columbia, is remembered by his mother as a kind, loving, and independent individual. His mother, Ashley Lin, told Global News that her son had considerable experience on boats, having fished for 10 years. "He is a nice kid. He is very loving, very kind-hearted… He’s very warm-hearted," Lin said.

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He is a nice kid. He is very loving, very kind-hearted… He’s very warm-hearted.

The vessel went down on Sunday, June 28, with 10 people aboard. Chen's body, along with those of five others, has not been recovered. Lin and Chen's girlfriend, Hailey Lee, continued searching the waters even after hearing the news, holding onto hope that the missing individuals were still alive. A vigil was held on Sunday night by the water to honor the six missing people.

Chen's mother described him as independent, stating he was the one who took care of the family. While he was young, his decade of experience on the water was significant. He had been working with the owner of Top Fishing Charter for a few years, who reportedly found Chen to be smart and passionate about fishing. Chen had mentioned that the boat was not easy to operate, and while the owner had promised training, Chen also conducted his own research.

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He was a very independent kid; I’m not really a good mom; he was the one who took care of the whole family.

Lin expressed her hope that the boat owner would assist in finding the missing people and understanding the cause of the sinking, stating, "I think he is responsible." It has been reported that none of the passengers were wearing life jackets, though Lin believes her son did everything he could to prevent the tragedy. The RCMP's Serious Crimes Unit is investigating the incident.

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I think he is responsible.