Two dead in Tofino airplane crash
Posted July 18, 2024 2:22 pm.
Last Updated July 18, 2024 11:10 pm.
Two people died and another person was rushed to hospital Thursday after an airplane crashed on the runway at Tofino-Long Beach Airport.
The Tofino RCMP says the crash and resulting fire were reported before 1 p.m.
“One occupant was pulled from the plane and is being transported to hospital with serious injuries. The two other occupants have tragically died at the scene,” said an RCMP release Thursday.
A video of the scene posted to social media shows a tower of black smoke leading off the runway.
Mounties say the cause is unknown, but it appears a “small 6-seat aircraft may have suffered an engine fire during takeoff.”
“Our hearts go out to the families of those affected by this event,” said Daniel Sailland, CAO for the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, who oversees airport operations. “We are working closely with authorities to determine the cause of this incident and to provide support to those impacted.”
The Tofino RCMP adds it’s also working with the Transportation Safety Board and BC Coroners Service to determine what happened.
In a statement to CityNews, the TSB says it’s aware of the incident involving a Cessna 421 Golden Eagle aircraft.
“We’re gathering data from the police and airport authority with a plan to be on site tomorrow,” the board said Thursday.
