The jet of Canadian Forces Snowbird which took off from the Kamloops airport around 11:40 am on Sunday crashed into the Brocklehurst residential area in Kamloops.
A member of the Snowbirds team died in the crash while another member was injured. According to Snowbird, the injury sustained say by the survivor is not life threatening.
Captain Jennifer Casey has been identified by the Royal Canadian Air Force as the person killed. Captain Jennifer served as Snowbird’s communications specialist. Also, Captain Richard MacDougall survived the crash with injuries.
Images and videos of the crash were posted on various social media platforms. The Video shows two people popping out of the jet as it crash landed. Witnesses revealed that one person was carried from the roof of a home and stretched into an ambulance.
Chelsy Gyger who watched the crash from across the street said she heard the jet landing forcefully on the ground and sped outside to view the wreckage in the yard of a neighbour’s house. She said: “We went running across the street and the plane and the house was on fire. Debris from the crash was thrown into a nearby house. Oh God, it was just chaos.”
Zion Chong, who witnessed the crash from the Kamloops Airport said: “The planes just lifted up and they were flying low and then they started pulling up after they gained some altitude. One plane started to turn left at a sharp angle and then started dropping (like a stunt) nose down. After dropping for a second, I saw a small explosion and saw the pilot eject then the plane just drop and exploded.”
City of Kamloops officials said Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) crew got to the scene in minutes and Kamloops Airport crash truck joined them. KFR is teaming up with agencies like the BC Ambulance, RCMP, Military representatives and airport authorities.
According to KFR Chief, Mike Adams, one house was affected by the fire the emanated from the crash and no one was injured in the fire.
While reacting to the crash, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a tweeted message said: “My thoughts are with the brave members of the @RCAF_ARC.” He added that “I would also like to thank the emergency personnel in Kamloops who responded so quickly to this tragic incident.”
The Mayor of Kamloops, Ken Christian during a late afternoon news conference said the crash “shakes us to our core.” He recognised the happiness the Snowbirds had brought to Kamloops the previous day earlier when the team journeyed through the city during its Operation Inspiration national tour.
