Quick response rescues four from Beaver floatplane crash
By Contributor
Four people were rescued thanks to quick response from the RCMP vessell Lindsay after a Beaver floatplane crashed near Bella Bella Friday afternoon.
The RCMP received the Mayday relay on VHF radio at 3:50 p.m. with West Coast Marine Service members in the community of Shearwater near Bella Bella.
The information was that a float plane had crashed and was on fire just north of St. John Harbour, near the south entrance of the Seaforth Channel which is a very isolated area.
This location was just over 1 hour from the current location for the Patrol Vessel Lindsay.
Realizing that time was of the essence for the injured, Sgt. Rob Pikola had Cst’s Roe and Judd deploy a 733 Ridged Hull Inflatable fast response vessel which allowed them to arrive on scene within thirty minutes, followed by the Lindsay which arrived in just under an hour with Sgt. Pikola, Cst. Miles and C/M Butler on board.
Several other Coast Guard resources were deployed including the Cape Farewell, two fast response vessels and the Search and Rescue helicopter and Buffalo aircraft. Members of West Coast Marine Lindsay were able to assist with the transport of two of the four people from the crash.
The more seriously injured passengers were transported by the Cape Farewell to the Bella Bella hospital.
Do to the quick response of our members involved, everyone on the downed Beaver floatplane received medical treatment within thirty minutes of the crash,” Sgt. Pikola explained.
“Not only was it fortunate that we were close by, but there was a fishing charter boat in the area that had six medical doctors on board who were from the Williams Lake and Vanderhoof area.
The aircraft was burned beyond recovery and was located just above the high tide line.
