VANCOUVER – A Harbour Air seaplane had to make an emergency landing in the Strait of Georgia on Thursday morning due to the pilot feeling faint.
The plane, which was travelling into Vancouver from Victoria Harbour, landed safely, and without incident, on the water.
All six passengers and crew are safe and were transported back to their original destination by another Harbour aircraft shortly after landing. The pilot was examined and has been released.
BC Ambulance confirmed they were called at 9:57 a.m. due to a medical issue on the aircraft.
Clark Harrop, a passenger on the plane, says it was a beautiful morning for the flight.
“The pilot complained of feeling a little bit faint, and said he was going to do an emergency landing and put the plane down safely on the Georgia Strait,” says Harrop. “From there it seemed like a lot of commotion and all kinds of emergency and Search and Rescue vehicles there, but all through the whole thing everyone was calm and it was an odd experience.”
BC Ferries vessel, the Coastal Celebration, assisted the Coast Guard and Search and Rescue. Many people were tweeting about what they were seeing.
Abbotsford councillor Sandy Blue says BC Ferries made an announcement there was a medical emergency.
“We were at the dock still, ready to leave on the Coastal Celebration at 10, and there was a call for the life rafts to be launched and we saw them heading out in front of the boat,” says Blue. “There was a spotter aircraft and then shortly after there was Coast Guard, other Search and Rescue, go through there and as we approached we could see it was a Harbour Air that was down safely, it was on its floats on the water.”
She says staff on BC Ferries were excellent and quick to respond to the emergency.
The second Harbour Air plane arrived shortly after.
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