Close X
Sunday, December 1, 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

Vancouver mayor wants B.C. premier to review policing across province

Vancouver mayor wants B.C. premier to review policing across province
Vancouver's mayor wants the B.C. government to conduct a review of policing across the province. Kennedy Stewart says city council can do little to change policing in Vancouver and the provincial government could override any potential decision.

Vancouver mayor wants B.C. premier to review policing across province

Alberta licence plates become targets for COVID-19 fears in some B.C. towns

Alberta licence plates become targets for COVID-19 fears in some B.C. towns
Some British Columbia communities are urging residents to show kindness during the COVID-19 pandemic following media reports of confrontations and rudeness shown to people driving vehicles with out-of-province licence plates.

Alberta licence plates become targets for COVID-19 fears in some B.C. towns

B.C. records highest overdose death toll for one month in May

B.C. records highest overdose death toll for one month in May
British Columbia has recorded the highest number of illicit drug overdose deaths in a single month, reaching the grim milestone in May. The coroners service says 170 people died in May, compared with 76 deaths in February as concentrations of the deadly opioid fentanyl have increased.

B.C. records highest overdose death toll for one month in May

Politicians urged to collaborate on pandemic benefit for disabled Canadians

Politicians urged to collaborate on pandemic benefit for disabled Canadians
Federal politicians are being urged to work together to help Canadians with disabilities weather the COVID-19 crisis.

Politicians urged to collaborate on pandemic benefit for disabled Canadians

Federal prison chaplains escalate fight for collective agreement

Federal prison chaplains escalate fight for collective agreement
Federal prison chaplains are stepping up a bid to negotiate their first collective agreement to secure better wages and working conditions.

Federal prison chaplains escalate fight for collective agreement

Military spending needed more now than ever, top defence official says

Military spending needed more now than ever, top defence official says
The Defence Department's top civilian official is touting the importance of continued investments in the Canadian Armed Forces, and says she has received no indications the Liberal government is planning to cut spending because of the COVID-19 crisis.

Military spending needed more now than ever, top defence official says