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Float plane flips in Tofino Harbour, all on board rescued

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating a float plane’s collision with a commercial water taxi in Tofino Harbour Monday afternoon. There were no apparent injuries, said Dean Campbell, TSB media relations specialist.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating a float plane’s collision with a commercial water taxi in Tofino Harbour Monday afternoon.

There were no apparent injuries, said Dean Campbell, TSB media relations specialist. The TSB is gathering information to determine the next steps, he said.

Joint Rescue Coordination Centre public affairs officer Lt.-Navy Michelle Scott said a call came in at 4:39 p.m. Monday about a float plane that had flipped after making contact with a boat.

The rescue centre asked the Canadian Coast Guard lifeboat Cape Ann to respond. By the time the coast guard and an RCMP vessel arrived on the scene, all those involved had been taken ashore.

“There were many vessels of opportunity right around when it happened,” said Scott.

It’s the second incident of a floatplane flipping near Tofino in the last few months.

On July 23, a Cessna A185F floatplane with four passengers, including Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council president Judith Sayers, flipped in the water near Tofino, forcing occupants to scramble out on a sandbar.

Sayers later said that when the plane flipped, she was left hanging upside-down inside the aircraft with her head underwater. She was pulled to safety by her son Cole.

No one was seriously injured in the incident.

ldickson@timescolonist.com