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Several people were injured Saturday when a floatplane collided with a pleasure boat as it was taking off in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour.
Vancouver police said a Harbour Air seaplane collided with the boat near Canada Place just before 1 p.m.
“A number of people were on board both the plane and boat,” VPD Const. Tania Visintin said in a news release. “Several people have been treated for injuries and taken to hospital.”
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Harbour Air said in a statement that there were five passengers on board the plane. “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.”
The statement added that all passengers on the boat had been accounted for.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria said the Kitsilano Coast Guard station sent two rescue vessels to the scene.
Videos posted on social media showed a floatplane sinking in the water surrounded by rescue vessels.
One video appeared to show the floatplane hitting the boat, catching some air, and then plunging back into the water.
Vancouver police are working with other agencies, including B.C. Emergency Health Services, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, West Coast Marine and the Vancouver Port Authority.
The Transportation Safety Board confirmed it had deployed a team of investigators to the site.
According to its website, Harbour Air is one of the world’s largest all-seaplane airlines and flies 500,000 passengers a year.
With files from Douglas Quan
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