A new video obtained by Global News shows a different angle in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour on Saturday as a float plane collided with a boat.
The video shows the Harbour Air plane taxiing on the water before picking up some speed and colliding with the boat and splashing back down into the ocean.
The plane’s tail can be seen sticking up and the boat continues to float around the plane.
Two of the four people on the boat were seriously injured in the collision. The five people on board the float plane were not injured.
The Port Of Vancouver confirmed the collision later Saturday afternoon.
“We can confirm there was a collision between a Harbour Air float plane and a recreational boat at 12:51 p.m. at the entrance of Coal Harbour,” said Arpen Rana, a Port of Vancouver spokesperson.
“Canadian Coast Guard alerted the port authority and other first responders about the incident. A port authority harbour patrol vessel and other emergency response vessels responded to the incident immediately.”
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is investigating the incident.
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Former investigator Bill Yearwood told Global News it appears as if neither party could see the other.
“During the takeoff of a float plane, the visibility can be restricted somewhat in the initial stages of the takeoff procedure,” Yearwood said.
“As the aircraft gets up on the step, the visibility improves. But then at the same time, as you get closer to the object, it’s falling lower and your line of vision as you’re able to see lower.”
Yearwood said it is unclear what happened.
“Fortunately, you know, the people on the aircraft survived with little or no injuries,” he added. “(I) imagine some mental stress, and unfortunately, I understand the persons in the boat, suffered serious injuries, and I hope they recover completely.”
Yearwood said there was a similar incident about 20 years ago but he is often surprised that collisions like this one doesn’t happen more often.
— with files from Darrian Matassa-Fung
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
