A New Zealander sailing through Canadian waters says he will not turn around, despite being in violation of the country's COVID-19 restrictions.
Peter Smith, a 72-year-old sailor, is on his way to Portugal via Canada's Northwest Passage. The Canadian government has banned all foreign ships from entering its waters in order to better protect Arctic communities from COVID-19.
However on 20 August a post to a local Facebook community group revealed Smith's boat Kiwiroa had been spotted off the coast of Victoria Island.
"Transport Canada (TC) is aware of the vessel and that it is from New Zealand," read the post.
"TC are in the early stages of communications, TC are going to do an interim order to leave the Northwest Passage and Kiwiroa crew knew they were not allowed into Canada."
TC confirmed the sighting in an email to CBC News, and said the vessel was told "to depart Canadian waters and not make landfall".
A spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard said it is monitoring Smith closely as he leaves the region - and if he is found to have broken the law, the agency "will not hesitate" to take action, including fining him up to $7550 (NZ).
In an email to CBC Smith said he was aware he was not permitted to land and did not intend to.
"I respect the locals' wish to be left alone. I am not a tourist," he said.
He went on to say the risk of him spreading COVID-19 was overblown.
"I am 72 [years] old with a history of lung problems from my job as boat builder," he wrote. "I am much more at risk from the villages than they are from me."
He estimates he is two or three weeks away from exiting Canadian waters, and says he does not intend to be turned back now.
"It would take a SWAT team to make me do that."
Newshub has contacted Smith for comment.
