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Prime Minister applauds actions of coast guard in help with deadly plane crash

Jul 29, 2019 | 2:37 PM

VANCOUVER — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised the efforts of Canadian Coast Guard crews in the tragic plane crash that claimed four lives off B.C.’s coast.

Trudeau, who’s in Vancouver to mark the completion of renovations at the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station, says his thoughts are with those involved, their families and their friends, and he thanked the members of the coast guard who helped on the scene.

The Kitsilano coast guard base was shut down by the former Conservative government in 2013, then reopened shortly after the Liberal government took power in 2015.

The Canadian Coast Guard and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Service responded to the crash of the float plane Friday on a remote and uninhabited island off B.C.’s central coast.

Crews found four people dead and five others injured in the steep and forested terrain.

The Transportation Safety Board sent a crew to investigate on the remote island, about 100 kilometres north of the northern end of Vancouver Island.

The BC Coroners Service says in a statement that it will also investigate to determine if recommendations it makes could prevent deaths in similar circumstances.

It says the recovery of the bodies has been complete and they are being transported to confirm identification.

The service says it will not be releasing the identity of any of those killed.

 

The Canadian Press