Float plane crash revives memories

CAMPBELL RIVER - The crash of a DeHavilland Beaver Sunday on Saturna Island is reviving memories for several Campbell River families who lost loved ones in a float plane tragedy nearly five years ago off of Quadra Island.

Five men were killed when a floatplane bound for a logging camp crashed shortly after taking off from the Campbell River spit in February of 2005. Only one mans remains were ever found from the crash leaving grieving families searching for answers.

Kirsten Stevens has acted as a spokesperson for the families since the accident and took their concerns to Ottawa in April as part of a round-table discussion on the safety of float planes and air-taxis. Stevens says the memories of what she and the others have gone through continues to come up whenever float planes go missing or crash. She says the crashes always hit home and she always feels tremendous empathy for the victims families.

She also notes that Sundays crash on Saturna marks the 26th fatal aviation occurrence in Canada since those discussions and the death toll has now reached 45.

Stevens authors newsletters on aviation issues every two weeks and maintains a website that tracks crashes and fights for changes to the float plane industry. The website is www.safeskies.ca

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News & Politics

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