Fisherman saves four after seaplane crashes into water taxi and crashes into water in Tofino

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Ken Brown was moored at Whiskey Dock in Tofino on Monday afternoon when he saw a seaplane crash into a water taxi in the harbor.

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“They were both entering the port,” Brown said. “Rocky Pass Water Taxi Was Cut By Tofino Air’s Beaver Plane”.

The Ahousaht fisherman, who helped save the lives of 11 passengers aboard the whale-watching boat Leviathan II on October 25, 2015, said he was not scared as he ran through the water towards the sinking seaplane to save four more souls. .

“The propeller and the motor were submerged in the water. The wing hit the side of my boat and ripped from the top of my cabin all the way. I had to back up my boat and get out of the line of fire. I managed to get out of the way. It happened so fast it was crazy. “

Then the back door opened on the starboard side and Brown saw a boy and his father. He maneuvered the rear of his boat toward the propeller.

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“Everyone was in shock. And everyone had to go into the water because the plane was sinking. I reached out my hand and grabbed the little boy and his father, then the same with two women, ”Brown said.

“One lady didn’t want to jump, but I said, ‘You have to jump now. The plane is sinking. I told him to just get into the water and come over to my hand. He grabbed my hand and I kept assuring him that I was fine. “

The pilot helped the passengers onto Brown’s boat, made sure everyone was safe, and then got into the water taxi when the plane sank.

Brown took the four passengers to the dock.

“I have saved 15 people in my life now,” Brown said. “I’m fine. But there is still some regret in me. My mind is still thinking about everything that has happened.”

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The deaths of six people aboard the Leviathan II never leave it, Brown said. And this close call has brought it all back.

“I will live with it for the rest of my life. I’ll never stop thinking about it. “

Brown’s friends and family tell him that he was in the right place at the right time.

“I don’t know why I’m graced with such… I can’t even explain it. My friends believe that they sent me to Earth to save people, ”he said.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating the collision and gathering information to determine its next steps, spokesman Dean Campbell said.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center received a call at 4:39 p.m. Monday that a seaplane had capsized after making contact with a boat. By the time the coast guard and an RCMP ship arrived on the scene, Brown had brought everyone ashore.

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The plane had gone on a sightseeing tour.

Air Tofino released a statement Tuesday thanking the community for their compassion and patience.

“This is really a difficult time for our team and our passengers,” said Base Manager Madison Riddoch, adding that the airline would cooperate closely with TSB.

“Crazy Ron”, owner of Tough City Sushi, said he heard a loud bang and everyone ran about 400 meters to the end of the street.

“There were tons of police and ambulances. The water taxi was coming in and the plane crashed into him and ripped off his wing, “said Ron, who did not want to give his last name.

His wife, Johanna Vanderkley, had just sat a man on her deck when the accident occurred. He had wanted to have a drink while his family was on the sightseeing tour.

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The man returned Tuesday afternoon to tell her that his wife had a bit of a headache, but that everyone else was fine, he said.

It is the second incident involving a seaplane capsizing near Tofino in recent months.

On July 23, a Cessna A185F seaplane with four passengers, including the president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Judith Sayers, capsized in the water near Tofino, forcing the occupants to climb up a sandbar. .

Sayers later said that when the plane capsized, she was left hanging upside down inside the plane with her head underwater. Her son Cole saved her.

No one was seriously injured in that incident.

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