Two people are dead after a small plane crashed yesterday near the Tahsis Inlet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
On Tuesday afternoon the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria received an emergency beacon notification of an aircraft in distress near Nootka Island. Acting Sub-lieutenant Gokhan Nas with the Maritime Forces Pacific Formation says the Canadian Coast Guard station in Tahsis sent two lifeboats to the location, and resources from 19 Wing in Comox were also dispatched.
“Two Cormorant helicopters were sent to investigate and respond, a CC-130 Hercules aircraft that was out conducting training was also re-tasked to support briefly,” he says. “Once on scene, RCAF Search and Rescue technicians hoisted two people on board the helicopter for transfer to emergency health services.”
The plane was a Quest Kodiak 100 and was carrying four people including the pilot. Other media has reported it was en route from Masset on Haida Gwaii to Tofino when it crashed.
Two passengers were taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries.
The Transportation Safety Board has deployed a team of investigators to collect information and assess the incident.
