Summary

  • A collision between a Harbour Air seaplane and a boat led to a quick response from VFRS and the Canadian Coast Guard.
  • No injuries were reported to passengers on the seaplane, but two people on the boat were taken to hospital.
  • Harbour Air provides chartered seaplane flights and has expanded to offer scheduled services since 1993.

On Saturday, June 8, a Harbour Air seaplane was involved in a collision with a boat that was in Vancouver’s Coal Harbor. The collision then resulted in the seaplane crashing into the water of the Vancouver Harbor. The incident occurred just after 13:00 local time on Saturday.

Saturday’s incident

The Harbour Air seaplane was accelerating for takeoff in Coal Harbor when a small pleasure boat crossed into the aircraft’s intended path. The collision resulted in the seaplane getting briefly thrown into the air before crashing back down into the water. This resulted in an immediate response from Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) and the Canadian Coast Guard, which sent two rescue vessels to the scene, per the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria.

In a statement, the Constable of the Victoria Police Department, Tania Visintin, said,

“A number of people were on board both the plane and boat. Several people have been treated for injuries and taken to hospital.”

The aircraft reportedly had five people on board the aircraft when it crashed. Nobody in the aircraft was injured, including the pilot. Harbour Air confirmed this in a statement, saying,

“Upon takeoff, while operating a scenic tour with five passengers onboard, our aircraft came into contact with a boat. All five passengers on the aircraft and the pilot are uninjured and safe.”

It is unclear how many passengers were on the boat that the seaplane collided with. However, the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services confirmed that two people on the boat were transported to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.

The Vancouver Police Department is currently coordinating the cleanup effort and investigation effort with several other agencies, including BC Emergency Health Services, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, West Coast Marine, and the Vancouver Port Authority, per the Vancouver Sun.

About Harbour Air

Harbour Air, which is based out of Richmond, British Columbia, is one of the world’s largest seaplane operators. The company provides scheduled services, but also provides chartered seaplane flights for tours and other services. Harbour Air was founded in 1982 to provide seaplane charters, specifically for the forestry industry. In the early 1990s, Harbour Air provided Trans-Provincial Airlines, which expanded the company’s offered services and helped the company to focus on chartered flights.

Several aircraft of Harbour Air

Photo: The Bold Bureau | Shutterstock

Currently, the company flies to several locations, including Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Comox, Whistler, and the Gulf Islands. The seaplane airline runs a fleet of:

  • DHC-3 de Havilland Turbine Single Otter
  • DHC-6 de Havilland Twin Otter
  • DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver
  • Cessna Grand Caravan EX

Obviously, all of these aircraft are fitted with floats and are converted into seaplanes.

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