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

Report into federal election leaders' debates suggests permanent commission

Report into federal election leaders' debates suggests permanent commission
The official review of the leaders' debates from the last federal election suggests the organizing body be made permanent, but who gets to participate needs some tweaking.

Report into federal election leaders' debates suggests permanent commission

Climate change behind increases in extreme rain danger: scientists

Climate change behind increases in extreme rain danger: scientists
The rains soaked southern Alberta for days, unrelenting, saturating soil already sodden with melting snow — and before long Calgary was awash as rivers overflowed their banks.

Climate change behind increases in extreme rain danger: scientists

Trudeau rejects Trump suggestion to readmit Russia to G7, citing Crimea invasion

Trudeau rejects Trump suggestion to readmit Russia to G7, citing Crimea invasion
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is rejecting Donald Trump's latest proposal to readmit Russia to the G7.

Trudeau rejects Trump suggestion to readmit Russia to G7, citing Crimea invasion

As Americans protest police behaviour, hardline anti-riot tactics draw fire

As Americans protest police behaviour, hardline anti-riot tactics draw fire
As anguished Americans flood the streets to rage against police brutality in the United States, some say the aggressive pushback from heavily armoured riot squads is proving their point.

As Americans protest police behaviour, hardline anti-riot tactics draw fire

Trudeau promises to speed $2.2 billion in funding for strapped cities

Trudeau promises to speed $2.2 billion in funding for strapped cities
The federal government is rushing out $2.2 billion in anticipated infrastructure funding to Canada's cities and while municipal leaders say it might help with a short-term cash crunch, it is not enough to fill the budget hole COVID-19 created.

Trudeau promises to speed $2.2 billion in funding for strapped cities

11 arrested, dozens of businesses damaged after Montreal anti-racism rally

11 arrested, dozens of businesses damaged after Montreal anti-racism rally
Quebec authorities spoke out Monday about the need to fight racism, while condemning the looting and vandalism that followed a Montreal demonstration demanding justice for a black man who died following a police intervention in Minnesota.

11 arrested, dozens of businesses damaged after Montreal anti-racism rally