Two people are reportedly dead following a small plane crash near a lake in British Columbia, Canada, over the weekend.
Videos by Suggest
According to the Vernon Morning Star, the plane crash occurred less than five miles southeast of Chilliwack Lake at approximately 2:13 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 5.
The Maritime Forces Pacific Public Affairs Office (MARPAC) said the accident involved a Cessna 172. The aircraft was owned and operated by Abbotsford-based Chinook Helicopters. The small plane was carrying an instructor and a student.
“JRCC Victoria tasked a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from 442 Squadron in Comox and a Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) fixed-wing aircraft out of Pitt Meadows,” MARPAC stated.
The organization further shared, “Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR), tasked by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), following an automated iPhone crash notification, responded alongside the Cormorant and CASARA. The CASARA located the crashed aircraft, at which point the RCMP took the lead.”
The Chilliwack RCMP further confirmed that both individuals in the plane perished in the crash. Local law enforcement is working alongside the Transportation Safety Board and the BC Coroners Officer to determine the cause of the plane crash.
Chilliwack Search and Rescue Speaks Out About the Plane Crash Near Chilliwack Lake
While speaking to the CBC, Dan McAuliffe, search manager with Chilliwack Search and Rescue, shared details about the search for the plane following the crash near Chilliwack Lake.
McAuliffe stated that the terrain near the crash site was steep and rugged, making the search difficult.
“We were just about to give up,” he said. “When one of our members noticed that the top of a tree was broken off.”
Local police further stated the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Center was able to remove the crash victims’ bodies from the site.
Details about the crash victims’ identities remain undisclosed.