Police have identified the man who drowned after driving his truck off a loading ramp at the Swartz Bay ferry terminal as 29-year-old James Davies.
Davies, a Victoria resident, died on Friday evening after he pulled his white pickup truck out of line at the ferry terminal and crashed through the barricades into the Strait of Georgia. His body and vehicle were recovered by Navy divers.
Davies' family issued a statement on Monday, describing him as "a kind, courageous and charitable young man who had very recently become unwell," and thanking BC Ferries and emergency workers for their efforts during the recovery mission.
"We regret the trauma and anguish that this event may have caused those who witnessed it and those involved in the rescue and recovery efforts. Our son was a most caring individual who would never have wanted to cause grief to those around him," the statement reads.
BC Ferries employees on duty during the crash have been offered counselling.
Investigators estimate that Davies had accelerated his vehicle to about 80 kilometres per hour when he crashed into the water. Police have ruled out any criminal involvement in the death, but the incident remains under investigation by RCMP and the BC Coroners Service.
