SMITHERS, B.C.—The British Columbia coroner says it is investigating three fatalities after a small plane crashed northeast of Smithers.
Andy Watson, the spokesman for the BC Coroners Service, says in a statement that the service is investigating the death of the pilot and two passengers after the Cessna 182 went down on Saturday, May 4.
He says a fourth person who was on the plane survived the crash and was taken to a Vancouver hospital.
Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Sophie Wistaff says a team of investigators is at the site and will be gathering information and evidence looking into what may have caused the crash.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it received a transmission from the plane’s emergency locator Saturday morning, prompting a search about 62 miles (100 km) northeast of Smithers.
When the site was found, a rescue technician was lowered by cable from a helicopter to check for survivors and the operation was turned over to police.
At 0845 this morning (4 May) @VicJRCC_CCCOS received a distress notification from an ELT registered to a Cessna 182 about 50nm north of Smithers Landing.
A crash site has been located and search and rescue efforts are underway.
Please visit https://t.co/mVqTCoUw04 for details pic.twitter.com/AbBMqtPqHM
— Victoria JRCC CCCOS (@VicJRCC_CCCOS) May 4, 2019
The next day, fire rescue officials say a kayaker pulled a pilot to shore after the pilot’s small plane crashed into a north Florida river.
“He (the kayaker) told the pilot to hold onto the back of his kayak and brought him to safety,” Action News Jax reported.
Pilot rescued after plane capsizes in St. Johns River
A kayaker was headed to shore, trying to escape a storm when he saw a seaplane capsize. He told the pilot to hold onto the back of his kayak, and brought him to safety. Action News Jax
Posted by Brittney Donovan Action News Jax on Monday, May 6, 2019
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department says the single-propeller, amphibious airplane crashed into the St. Johns River in Jacksonville on Sunday, May 5.
The agency tweeted that the pilot wasn’t injured. The pilot was the only person on board.
Crews have responded to the 6800 block of Howalt ct to an aircraft down and in the water ….one sole on board is on the shore and ok…the aircraft was a single prop amphibious plane….and a kayaker pulled him to shore with no injuries.
— MyJFRD (@JFRDJAX) May 5, 2019
Brittney Donovan Action News Jax got these new photos of the small floatplane that capsized in the St. Johns River: https://bit.ly/2vCl4CZ
Posted by Action News Jax on Sunday, May 5, 2019
The small plane crash comes just two days after a chartered jet carrying 143 people landed in the St. Johns River after arriving at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and skidding off the runway.
There were no serious injuries in that accident involving a jet that was flying from a military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
JSO Marine Unit was called to assist NAS JAX in reference to a Miami Air passenger airplane in shallow water in the St Johns River. The plane was not submerged. Every person is alive and accounted for.
Posted by Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Friday, May 3, 2019
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
