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Float plane crashes into Cowichan Lake

The pilot was 91Ƶvery lucky from the sounds of it91Ƶ
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A float plane crashed into Cowichan Lake near Honeymoon Bay on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. (Gazette file)

Witnesses looked on as a float plane crashed into Cowichan Lake about 100 feet offshore near the mouth of Ashburnham Creek Friday afternoon around 1 p.m.

Honeymoon Bay Fire Rescue chief Raymond Wear said the pilot was 91Ƶvery lucky from the sounds of it,91Ƶ escaping with just some lacerations.

91ƵThe witnesses say he took a pretty heavy thump,91Ƶ he said.

Wear said his crew of four arrived at the scene via the water in their vessel, Marine 26. It took them just three minutes to reach the scene as the crash was right near their boat launch site. The pilot was already out of the plane and into a boat.

91ƵThe crash was witnessed and the witnesses called 911, and they also called the ambulance, and boaters saw what happened so they went out to assist,91Ƶ said the chief. 91ƵIt sounds like there was about three boats out on the water that witnessed it and there was a quick response and a quick recovery by some Good Samaritans.

Wear also noted the boaters tried in vain to recover the aircraft.

91ƵThey tried to bring the plane in but as they started to tow it, it started to sink,91Ƶ he said.

It now sits in about 170 feet of water 91Ƶa couple hundred feet off shore near Ashburnham Creek91Ƶ.

Honeymoon Bay Fire Rescue, BC Ambulance, RCMP, Emergency Management BC, and a spill response team were all dispatched.

91ƵWe covered our bases,91Ƶ Wear said.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Manseau confirmed officers were called out to an area near Honeymoon Bay after the crash.

91ƵThere was one person aboard and he had minor injuries and is at hospital being treated,91Ƶ the spokesman said Friday around 3:15 p.m.

Manseau noted 91Ƶthere doesn91Ƶt appear to be anything criminal in nature and the Transportation Safety Board has been made aware of the incident and they are not going to attend.91Ƶ

Manseau said police are hoping to gather more witness accounts and asks those who saw the crash to contact the Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment at 250-749-6668.

Meanwhile, he added, RCMP would like for people to please stay out of the area where the plane is.



Sarah Simpson

About the Author: Sarah Simpson

I started my time with Black Press Media as an intern, before joining the Citizen in the summer of 2004.
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