Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. helicopter lands safely after being hit by lightning, Helijet says

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Oct, 2023 09:52 AM
  • B.C. helicopter lands safely after being hit by lightning, Helijet says

A commercial helicopter with 14 people on board landed safely in Victoria on Tuesday after it was hit by lightning.

Rick Hill, the vice-president of Helijet, said the aircraft was at about 1,200 metres when it was hit by lightning, the two pilots on board took the chopper down to below the clouds and then landed without trouble in Victoria a few minutes later. 

Hill said such an event is very, very rare, and in his 36 years of experiences, it's only happened twice. 

He said there were no injuries, although he's sure that such an incident would certainly shake up those on board. 

Hill said there was some damage to the aircraft, including the tail rotor, but the two pilots on board did a great job in handling the rare situation. 

"I think they really did a fabulous job and relied on that training and were able to safely bring everybody to their destination," said Hill. 

Hill said staff on the ground spoke to passengers to ensure no one was hurt.

The damaged chopper is now grounded. Pilots will be debriefed and given some time to process this event, he said.

Hill said the company is working with the Transportation Safety Board to determine what happened and assess the damage to the helicopter. 

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Tuesday covering Greater Victoria and other parts of Vancouver Island, saying between 30 and 50 millimetres of rain was expected

MORE National ARTICLES

Wildfire threat in B.C. continues as winds pick up during stormy weather

Wildfire threat in B.C. continues as winds pick up during stormy weather
Several major wildfires continue to burn out-of-control in British Columbia's Interior, where forecasted rain had been hoped to dampen blazes in parts of the Central Okanagan and the Shuswap. But Environment Canada data shows neither Kelowna's airport nor Salmon Arm recorded measurable precipitation Tuesday, after initial predictions called for possible rain and thunderstorms in the evening.

Wildfire threat in B.C. continues as winds pick up during stormy weather

Edmin Singh charged in Victoria arsons

Edmin Singh charged in Victoria arsons
Victoria police say the man was arrested on Sunday after a lengthy investigation by the force's major crimes section.  They say 42-year-old Edwin Singh now faces four counts of arson in connection with four fires this summer, three of which occurred on Government Street in Victoria in June and July and one in Saanich in mid-August. 

Edmin Singh charged in Victoria arsons

The grass that's greener in drought-stricken B.C. might have been painted

The grass that's greener in drought-stricken B.C. might have been painted
Lawn watering was prohibited in Metro Vancouver's 23 local authority regions on Aug. 4, with the ban in place until Oct.15. Some homeowners are looking for alternatives including spray-painting or artificial turf, but others are embracing the golden look.  

The grass that's greener in drought-stricken B.C. might have been painted

Man dead in Revelstoke, IIO investigating

Man dead in Revelstoke, IIO investigating
BC's police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who was shot by an officer in Revelstoke. R-C-M-P say it happened Sunday night after they responded to a call about a stolen vehicle.  

Man dead in Revelstoke, IIO investigating

Canada's first case of new COVID variant is detected in B.C.

Canada's first case of new COVID variant is detected in B.C.
The BC Centre for Disease Control has detected Canada's first known case of a new COVID-19 variant that has swiftly circled the globe and is being monitored by the World Health Organization. The centre said the BA. 2.86 variant of the Omicron strain was identified in a person from the Fraser Health region who hadn't recently been outside the province.

Canada's first case of new COVID variant is detected in B.C.

PNE bids farewell to its 6 decades old Amphitheatre

PNE bids farewell to its 6 decades old Amphitheatre
The P-N-E Amphitheatre is shutting its doors after almost 60 years in operation, making way for the construction of a new facility scheduled to open in 2026. A statement from the Pacific National Exhibition says the last show at the venue will be a Blue Rodeo concert on Labour Day, with one show scheduled for each night this week leading up to September 4.

PNE bids farewell to its 6 decades old Amphitheatre