Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

No cause on bus crash that killed three on glacier

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Jul, 2020 05:33 PM
  • No cause on bus crash that killed three on glacier

The president of the company that runs the bus tours at the Columbia Icefield between Banff and Jasper said changes will be made, if necessary, after a rollover on the glacier killed three people and sent two dozen to hospital.

The cause of the accident hasn't been determined. The off-road bus rolled off the road to the glacier Saturday afternoon and came to rest on a rocky slope, its six huge tires pointed up at the sky.

The RCMP, Occupational Health and Safety and the Transportation Safety Board spent Sunday milling about the vehicle, which slid about 50 metres down a steep embankment coming to rest near the glacier.

It's unclear how soon it will be removed from its current location but an internal investigation is underway as well.

"We started right away to review what happened, what is our process with our protocol at every step and so we're doing that internally but we are also working with the external teams to ensure that gets a fulsome review," said Dave McKenna, the president of the Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit, which operates the tours and its fleet of 22 vehicles.

The RCMP said the cause of the accident still isn't known and the snow coach, called an Ice Explorer, will receive a full mechanical inspection.

The red and white big-wheeled buses regularly take tourists up a rough rocky road onto the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park.

In all, 27 people were aboard when it crashed.

Alberta Heath Services said, of the 24 survivors, 14 had life-threatening head or pelvis injuries. Five others were in serious condition with broken bones and the remaining five suffered minor injuries.

McKenna said the Ice Explorers are offroad vehicles and seatbelts are not required. They aren't allowed on highways and have a top speed of 40 kilometres an hour.

He said once the investigation is complete, Pursuit will implement any changes that might be part of recommendations for things like seatbelts.

"We will wait until the investigation is over and we will listen to all the recommendations and anything we're required to do."

Tours have been offered on the glacier since 1969 and the current type of Ice Explorers have been used since the early 1980s but are constantly upgraded.

"We average about 480,000 visitors a year and we've been operating these vehicles since the early 80s. We've had over 16 million passengers safely taken out on to the ice over all these years. No major incidents," McKenna said.

"Over 39 years of course there's a few bumps but nothing serious with fatalities or critical injuries."

Angela Bye was on one of the coaches just before Saturday's accident. She said she never worried about her safety.

"We were in the exact same vehicle, hours before. It's like being in a school bus with really tall seats. The seats are way more padded than a school bus. They explained how it ran. How the wheels work," she said.

"I felt very safe."

MORE National ARTICLES

July added to COVID-19 rent-relief program

July added to COVID-19 rent-relief program
Federal and provincial governments have agreed to extend a commercial rent relief program to help cover July costs for eligible small businesses, with a few changes.

July added to COVID-19 rent-relief program

No consistent evidence cameras reduce police violence

No consistent evidence cameras reduce police violence
A Calgary police officer loudly tells an Indigenous man to put his hands on the roof of his car and, within seconds, the situation escalates to yelling. Body-worn camera video from the officer's chest then shows the man's head pushed into his vehicle.

No consistent evidence cameras reduce police violence

Armed man arrested at Rideau Hall: RCMP

Armed man arrested at Rideau Hall: RCMP
An armed man has been arrested on the grounds of Rideau Hall, where Gov. Gen. Julie Payette and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau live. The RCMP announced the arrest hours after a large number of police officers descended on the sprawling estate Thursday morning.

Armed man arrested at Rideau Hall: RCMP

WE leader backtracks on student-aid comments

WE leader backtracks on student-aid comments
One of the co-founders of WE Charity says he "misspoke" when he told youth leaders that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's staff reached out in April to see if the organization would administer what became a $900-million federal student-aid program.

WE leader backtracks on student-aid comments

B.C. to allow visits at long-term care homes

B.C. to allow visits at long-term care homes
Residents at long-term care facilities in British Columbia are now able to have in-person visits after months of being limited to virtual meetings or phone calls because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

B.C. to allow visits at long-term care homes

Heavy rains in B.C. could bring flooding: centre

Heavy rains in B.C. could bring flooding: centre
Flood warnings have been posted for three regions in B.C. as Environment Canada forecasts heavy rainfall in the Northern Rockies, Upper Fraser and Chilcotin areas.

Heavy rains in B.C. could bring flooding: centre