By Ian Holmes

‘They’re very lucky:’ 5 hurt after truck falls from highway bridge

Jan 14, 2019 | 12:26 PM

COURTENAY — A search and rescue official says five people taken to hospital after their truck plunged 80-feet off a highway bridge are lucky to be alive after a terrifying crash.

Arrowsmith Search and Rescue’s Gordon Yelland said it happened early Sunday afternoon when the southbound truck careened off the Inland Island Hwy., went between two bridges, flew down an embankment and landed on the edge of Cowie Creek.

Yelland said all five occupants were responsive and taken to hospital after the incident near Fanny Bay.

“It’s a long way down and the creek was running quite high, there’s a lot of water in it,” Yelland told NanaimoNewsNOW. “The vehicle ended up right on the creek edge and things could have turned out a lot worse. They are very lucky.”

Yelland said the truck fell through an opening in the median and thankfully landed upright.

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He said it’s his understanding the truck, with three adults and two children inside, was Nanaimo bound.

He said their crews and members from Comox Valley SAR used a rope to help other emergency responders bring the injured people up a steep embankment.

Details surrounding why the crash occured and if the occupants were wearing seatbelts aren’t clear as RCMP continue to investigate.

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