Canada
Survivors were taken to hospital after a plane carrying a group of heli-skiers crashed in the rugged hinterland on Monday afternoon
Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 6:59 p.m. GMT
Three people have been killed and four others are in critical condition after a helicopter carrying a group of skiers crashed in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
The crashed plane was one of three helicopters carrying heliskiers into the rugged hinterland when it crashed around 4:15 p.m. PT on Monday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.
The other two helicopters were able to transport four survivors from the crash site to paramedics, who took them to hospital in the town of Terrace, 50 km away.
The Provincial Ambulance Service dispatched three rescue aircraft and five ground ambulances to treat the victims in Terrace, all of whom were in critical condition.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Victoria, the provincial capital, also sent a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter to assist at the crash site.
Premier David Eby called the incident “heartbreaking” in a social media post and said the province was thinking about the victims' families. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
The crash marks the second fatal helicopter accident in as many weeks, after one crashed near the mountain town of Revelstoke, also in British Columbia, killing the pilot.
Heli-skiing is a popular but expensive winter activity in the province, with skiers drawn to the pristine, mountainous backcountry. Packages with the Northern Escape Heli-Skiing company start at $5,000 and go up to $92,000. The greatest risk to skiers is usually the landscape, with hidden crevasses, rocks and avalanches posing an impending danger.
“Helicopter accidents are rare but pose a risk to people who heliski in the mountains and backcountry,” the company said in a statement, adding that it “takes every precaution to minimize the risks in the backcountry… However Similar to many outdoor activities, it is impossible to 100% eliminate the associated risks.”
Northern Escape said it is working with the RCMP and other agencies, including the BC Coroner's Service and the Transportation Safety Board, to determine the cause of the crash.
{{#Ticker}}
{{top left}}
{{bottom left}}
{{top right}}
{{bottom right}}
{{#goalExceededMarkerPercentage}}{{/goalExceededMarkerPercentage}}{{/ticker}}
{{Headline}}
{{#paragraphs}}
{{.}}
{{/paragraphs}}{{highlightedText}}
{{#choiceCards}}
One-time, monthly, yearly
Other
{{/choiceCards}}We will be in touch to remind you to contribute. Watch for a message in your inbox. If you have any questions about contributing, please contact us.