Close X
Thursday, November 28, 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

Surrey’s Sensory Friendly Spaces Program Receives Honours

Surrey’s Sensory Friendly Spaces Program Receives Honours
On June 22, British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) honoured the City of Surrey with a provincial 2020 Program Excellence Award for its Sensory Friendly Spaces Program.

Surrey’s Sensory Friendly Spaces Program Receives Honours

Must Know Canada Immigration Changes amidst COVID-19

Must Know Canada Immigration Changes amidst COVID-19
With the COVID-19 pandemic there is speculation that some changes might be coming to immigration policies.

Must Know Canada Immigration Changes amidst COVID-19

RCMP say Winnipeg man faces fine for not wearing mask on airline flight

RCMP say Winnipeg man faces fine for not wearing mask on airline flight
Manitoba RCMP say they've been called for a second time this month because an airline passengers was not wearing a mask while flying.

RCMP say Winnipeg man faces fine for not wearing mask on airline flight

Police say death of Chinese national in Surrey, B.C., not random, but few clues

Police say death of Chinese national in Surrey, B.C., not random, but few clues
Homicide detectives in Metro Vancouver are appealing for information as they investigate the murder of a 41-year-old woman who died in hospital on June 17.

Police say death of Chinese national in Surrey, B.C., not random, but few clues

B.C. allows more openings, but 'we are not leaving COVID-19 behind,' Horgan

B.C. allows more openings, but 'we are not leaving COVID-19 behind,' Horgan
British Columbia is further easing restrictions that are in place because of COVID-19, allowing hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating.

B.C. allows more openings, but 'we are not leaving COVID-19 behind,' Horgan

Search underway in B.C. backcountry for Alberta man missing since November

Search underway in B.C. backcountry for Alberta man missing since November
A search is underway in a remote and mountainous area in British Columbia where the burned out vehicle of a missing Alberta man was found by hikers last November.

Search underway in B.C. backcountry for Alberta man missing since November