A Harbour Air float plane and a recreational boat collided in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour Saturday afternoon, according to authorities.
Video from the scene shows several boats surrounding a sinking aircraft in Burrard Inlet off of Stanley Park.
CTV News Vancouver’s Abigail Turner was in Stanley Park at the time of the crash and saw the plane hit the water.
She said she saw two people standing on the wing after the incident, as the plane sank into harbour. Several nearby boats converged on the scene, as first responders gathered on land.
In a statement, Harbour Air told CTV News the seaplane was operating a scenic tour with five passengers on board, and it “came into contact” with a boat during takeoff.
All of the passengers and the pilot were uninjured in the crash, according to Harbour Air.
However, the Vancouver Police Department said “several” people were treated for injuries and taken to hospital.
BC Emergency Health Services told CTV News paramedics provided emergency care to two people, who were taken to hospital with “minor injuries.”
“None of the ten additional patients required transport to hospital,” information officer Brian Twaites wrote.
The Port of Vancouver told CTV News the collision happened just after 12:50 p.m., and a port authority harbour patrol vessel was among the emergency response vehicles that converged on the scene.
“All passengers on board the Harbour Air float plane and the recreational boat were reported safe ashore,” the port said in an email.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, which handles search and rescue missions involving the Canadian Coast Guard in B.C., said two Coast Guard vessels responded from the Kitsilano station.
The JRCC also confirmed that everyone aboard the boat and plane was accounted for, though it could not confirm whether anyone had been injured.
“Safety remains our utmost priority. At this time, we are working closely with the authorities to gather more information about this incident and supporting the affected parties,” Harbour Air wrote.
“We would like to thank the emergency services for their swift response and to the community for their support.”
The federal Transportation Safety Board is now the lead agency investigating the incident, the JRCC said.
In its own statement, the TSB confirmed it had been notified of the crash and is investigating.
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Chief Karen Fry posted on social media just after 1 p.m. to say that firefighters and police were responding to a “marine incident.”
CTV News has reached out to firefighters for more information about the injuries that resulted from the crash.
