Pilot dead following Vancouver plane crash
Posted Oct 28, 2011 8:30 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A pilot of a plane that crashed just after take-off from Vancouver International Airport Thursday evening has died.
Northern Thunderbird Air, the company that owns the crashed plane, says 44-year old Luc Fortin from North Vancouver died when the plane went down near the south terminal at YVR.
Fortin had been with NT Air since 2007 and was considered highly experienced.
Seven other passengers on the Air Beachking Air 100 were seriously hurt.
Bill Yearwood is with the Transportation Safety Board and says they are looking into the crash.
“We have five investigators on site. Once we have had an opportunity to look at the wreckage on the ground, we’ll move to a secure location where we can continue our investigation,” says Yearwood.
NT Air is based in Prince George, British Columbia, and specializes in flights to remote B.C. communities and mining communities.
Witnesses ran to the aid of victims following the crash.
Steve Baran is a 63-year-old father of two who works for Canada Post near YVR. He was one of the first to reach the plane, wrench open the door, and pull people to safety.
Milsharma also saw the smoke and ran over to help the crash victims.
He was driving close to where the plane went down and when he saw what was happening, he called his friend who works in the area. “Pull over right there! I’m going to help; there’s been a plane crash here.”
He drove over to the scene of the crash and when he got there, there were two women and three men lying on the ground near the wreckage. More people were still in the plane.
He said he knew it was dangerous, but he helped pull them out anyway.
“When I saw the scene I just thought these guys were in danger. We have to go and help them, in any way I can I will.”
