Prince George RCMP have confirmed that an individual has passed away following an emergency landing of an aircraft on Foothills Boulevard, approximately 1.5 kilometers north of North Nechako Road. RCMP stated that two motor vehicles were implicated.
In a statement, RCMP mentioned, “Police regretfully confirm the fatality of one individual in this incident, a passenger of one of the vehicles.” The status of potential injuries to the other vehicle occupants and individuals on board the plane remains unknown.
Authorities have advised the public to steer clear of the area as Foothills Boulevard has been shut down to vehicular traffic in both directions, with closures expected to last overnight and into Friday.
The Transportation Safety Board will be assuming control of the investigation, according to law enforcement officials. The episode unfolded around 2:30 p.m. PT on Foothills Boulevard near Highland Drive, as emergency services were summoned to the site where a small aircraft executed an apparent emergency landing on a bustling thoroughfare.
B.C. Emergency Health Services reported receiving a distress call around that timeframe. BCEHS paramedic public information officer Brian Twaites stated that their teams assessed a total of 10 patients, with two individuals transferred to the hospital in stable condition.
Witness Mohit Arora recounted that the plane descended onto the road just as he turned onto Foothills Boulevard. He described the left wing of the aircraft colliding with a pickup truck, resulting in injuries to the truck driver, although the driver survived. Arora also mentioned that the plane’s propeller narrowly missed his own vehicle.
Photos captured by Arora depict a small passenger plane on the roadside, with a broken propeller lying in the roadway. Additionally, there is a yellow car visibly damaged on the side of the road, along with a pickup truck displaying debris from the aircraft through its front windshield.
Prince George Fire Rescue confirmed their response to a “serious motor vehicle incident involving a plane.” The Transportation Safety Board specified the aircraft involved as a Beech King Air 200 and stated their team was en route to Prince George for investigative purposes.
Authorities are advising the public to avoid the vicinity, emphasizing that the road closure will endure for a significant duration.
