A small float plane crashed with a pleasure boat in Vancouver's Coal Harbour on Saturday, June 8 afternoon.
Emergency services responded within minutes of the incident which occurred around 1 p.m. The plane sank into the water following the crash.
TransLink Spokesperson Tina Lovgreen told V.I.A. she spoke with Seabus Captain April Larson of the Burrard Otter II, who saw the float plane in the water and quickly diverted the vessel to assist.
The SeaBus crew was prepared to deploy a life raft but several other small boats attended the scene before they arrived.
"They saw the seaplane in the water and the law of the sea is to help people in the water," she explained. "When they arrived they saw a few small boats in the water and told passengers they had to deviate and assist."
Larson told Lovgreen it was just before 1 p.m. when they noticed the sinking plane and promptly made their way over; crews acted quickly and were ready to deploy life rafts if needed.
The Burrard Otter II stayed at the scene until it was released by the Coast Guard and returned to the terminal.
Vancouverite Nicky Furmage shared a video of the float plane sinking in the harbour on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote that it "seems that people were off before it sunk into the harbour"
It seems that people were off before it sunk into the harbour🤞 pic.twitter.com/Y8RzoQI9tW
— Nicky Furmage (@NickyFurmage) June 8, 2024
Vancouver Police Department Const. Tania Visintin told V.I.A. officers responded to the seaplane collision in Coal Harbour.
"Just before 1 p.m., a Harbour Air sea plane collided with a pleasure boat in the water near Canada Place," she said. "A number of people were on board both the plane and boat.
"Several passengers have been treated for injuries and taken to hospital."
Vancouver Police are working with other agencies, including BC Emergency Health Services, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, West Coast Marine and Vancouver Port Authority.
"More details to come as the investigation unfolds," she added.
V.I.A. has reached out to the Canadian Coast Guard, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, and BC Emergency Medical Services and will update the story when more information is available.
More to come...
Video produced by Alanna Kelly
