2 hospitalized after seaplane goes down in Vancouver: officials
Two people have been hospitalized after a seaplane collided with a boat in Vancouver's Coal Harbour near Stanley Park on Saturday, officials confirmed.
A CBC reporter on the scene, near Canada Place, confirmed that rescue boats were circling a small plane in the water near Brockton Point in Stanley Park.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said in a statement that a Harbour Air seaplane collided with a pleasure boat in the water around 1 p.m. PT.
"A number of people were on board both the plane and boat," the VPD said. "Several passengers have been treated for injuries and taken to hospital."
The VPD did not confirm exactly how many people were injured, but said more details would come as the investigation progresses.
On Sunday morning, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services assistant chief Jarret Gray confirmed that two people on the boat were hospitalized with their injuries.
A spokesperson for Harbour Air said one of its planes, with five passengers on-board for a sightseeing tour, collided with a boat after takeoff from the seaplane terminal.
"All five passengers on the aircraft, and the pilot, are uninjured and safe," according to the statement.
"We have been advised by the local authorities that all passengers on the boat have also been accounted for."
The spokesperson added they were working with authorities to support the people affected by the collision.
'It sort of jumped in the air'
Pat Anson, a tourist from Australia, who was walking around Coal Harbour at the time of the incident said he saw the floatplane seemingly crashing into a boat.
The plane looked like it was about to take off, he told CBC News.
"We saw two speedboats in front of it and I am not sure if it hit the speedboat or not, but it sort of jumped in the air and did a nosedive over the top of the speedboats."
A statement from the Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria said officials received a call around 12:55 p.m. PT involving a floatplane and a boat in Coal Harbour.
"Kitsilano Coast Guard station sent two vessels to the scene — the Laredo Sound and a fast rescue craft," the JRCC said.
"Once on scene, they worked with multiple agencies to respond."
The JRCC told CBC News that everyone on the boat and floatplane were rescued, however they did not say how many people were involved in the crash.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is sending a team of investigators to gather information and assess the crash, it said in a statement at 5:10 p.m. PT Saturday.
Coal Harbour is the site for Vancouver's downtown seaplane terminal, served by carriers such as Harbour Air and Seair Seaplanes.
