Close X
Friday, November 29, 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

B.C. immigration program well managed, but fraud, corruption are risks: auditor

B.C. immigration program well managed, but fraud, corruption are risks: auditor
An audit says an immigration program that brings workers to British Columbia fills labour gaps but needs to improve safeguards for fraud and corruption.

B.C. immigration program well managed, but fraud, corruption are risks: auditor

Israeli, Chinese policies 'concern' Canada, undermine freedom, says Trudeau

Israeli, Chinese policies 'concern' Canada, undermine freedom, says Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waded into the foreign policies of Israel and China on Tuesday, expressing concerns over separate but controversial positions that he says undermine peace in both places.

Israeli, Chinese policies 'concern' Canada, undermine freedom, says Trudeau

Canadians seem OK with possibly being benched as playoff venue: survey

Canadians seem OK with possibly being benched as playoff venue: survey
It looks like hockey fans will be able to cheer on their favourite NHL team this summer but Canadians have issued a collective shrug about whether the Stanley Cup is hoisted on their home ice.

Canadians seem OK with possibly being benched as playoff venue: survey

House of Commons can manage virtual voting securely if MPs want it, Speaker says

House of Commons can manage virtual voting securely if MPs want it, Speaker says
House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota says he is comfortable the technology is in place to safely allow MPs to vote remotely during the hybrid Parliament sittings.

House of Commons can manage virtual voting securely if MPs want it, Speaker says

Feds continue to add to COVID-19 supply stores to meet future demand

Feds continue to add to COVID-19 supply stores to meet future demand
Planes and boats loaded with personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 supplies continue to arrive in Canada as the federal government moves to increase the domestic stockpile of crucial gear.

Feds continue to add to COVID-19 supply stores to meet future demand

Press pass offering little defence for journalists caught in the U.S. fray

Press pass offering little defence for journalists caught in the U.S. fray
Press passes and television cameras, once powerful symbols of neutrality that helped protect journalists working in combat zones, are providing little defence for reporters and crews covering the escalating urban conflict in the United States.

Press pass offering little defence for journalists caught in the U.S. fray