Mayor of Anmore says he’s ‘appalled’ two pilots still flying after unauthorized stunt for house party
Posted August 23, 2020 8:34 am.
Last Updated August 23, 2020 10:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
ANMORE (NEWS 1130) — More than a year after two helicopters illegally landed in the backyard of a Metro Vancouver mansion, we still don’t know if those pilots were punished.
The mayor of Anmore, John McEwen, says he is still waiting for an explanation from Transport Canada.
“We aren’t even sure that this company has even been fined. Having two helicopters land in a half-acre parcel backyard during a time when our fire rating was in the extreme, I’m still really shocked at where we’re at with this and I can also tell you that after this, I received calls from other helicopter companies going, ‘You really need to hold somebody accountable for this because this is completely inappropriate.'”
McEwen says the Chief Administrative Officer of the village has repeatedly asked federal aviation regulators to explain what, if any, action has been taken since the wild party on June 1, 2019, ended with volunteer firefighters rescuing an overdose victim.
“Our volunteer fire department had to give him a naloxone injection to revive him –pulled the attendant out of the party, so police didn’t have to go in. The people who had rented the house and had the party actually had it after their tenancy had expired, so they were literally trespassing.”
McEwen adds it took several days for the self-proclaimed event promoter responsible for the party –at 35 Birch Wynd– to call the mayor.
“His words were, ‘I guess I owe you a bit of an apology’ and I said, ‘You don’t actually owe me an apology, you owe an apology to the ten volunteers who left their families and their dinners to save one of your party attendees … To think that with what’s going on right now, we can’t have parties like this.”
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McEwen tells NEWS 1130 he’s not surprised the provincial government is taking steps to crack down on people blatantly ignoring COVID-19 public safety orders and he hopes those fines stick around for situations like this.
“We need to put a stop to the reckless disregard for social distancing that seems to be happening. People are appalled at what they’re seeing in the news for what’s happening down south (United States) and, unfortunately, it’s starting to happen up here, so I’m really glad.”
McEwen says no one with Transport Canada has agreed to meet with him and the village council to explain the findings of two investigations into last summer’s party.
“We were absolutely appalled the helicopter licences weren’t pulled immediately, while the investigation was going on. We’ve subsequently heard they’ve possibly issued a $500 fine.”
He says he’s worried something like this could happen again because the organizer of that stunt suggested he was going to host another wild party on a barge in nearby Belcarra.
Transport Canada has sent NEWS 1130 an email confirming “appropriate enforcement actions” have been taken.
The statement doesn’t contain specifics, but it explains helicopters landing in built-up areas must normally land at an airport, heliport or a military aerodrome which meets aviation standards.
When it comes to private property, prior approval from the owner of the land is needed –unless a pilot must make an emergency landing.
