Chilliwack plane crash: Three dead in accident near B.C. airport

Chilliwack, British Columbia, witnessed a plane crash near the local airport that resulted in the loss of three lives. The incident occurred on a Friday afternoon, leaving the community in shock.

Around 2 p.m., authorities received a report of a plane crash near Chilliwack Airport, approximately 100 kilometers east of Vancouver. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), along with fire and BC Emergency Health Services, responded swiftly.

In a statement, the RCMP confirmed the tragic outcome, stating, “Three people on board are confirmed to be deceased.” The victims’ identities have not been released pending family notifications.

The Transportation Safety Board dispatched an investigative team to the crash site in the Fraser Valley to determine the accident’s cause. Simultaneously, the coroner’s office initiated its own investigation into the incident.

Haylie Morris, a witness to the crash, described her shock as she watched the plane flying dangerously low while at work. She immediately abandoned her forklift and ran towards the crash site. Morris recounted the moment when the plane disappeared into a forest, breaking through trees before colliding with a nearby hotel. The crash occurred behind the Chilliwack Motor Inn, just south of the airport.

However, Morris’s path to the wreckage was hindered by thick layers of blackberries, making it challenging to reach the site promptly. Without her cellphone, she shouted for someone to dial 911, eventually guiding first responders in the right direction alongside a co-worker.

Local media photographs revealed the registration number on the plane’s tail, indicating that the aircraft belonged to SkyQuest Aviation, a flight school based in Langley. The aviation school issued an email statement in response to the incident, stating they were looking into the crash but had no further comments at the time.

BC Emergency Health Services dispatched five ambulances to the scene, with two air ambulance helicopters initially en route. However, they were redirected as no patients required hospitalization, reflecting the severity of the crash.