One person was killed when a Canadian Forces Snowbird plane crashed in Kamloops Sunday, according to the BC Coroner香蕉视频直播檚 Service.
The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed the news and said the other member on board had serious but not life threatening injuries. He has been identified as Capt. Richard MacDougall.
The CAF identified the victim as Capt. Jennifer Casey of Halifax, Nova Scotia. According to her biography on the Royal Canadian Air Force website, she joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2014 after working as a journalist in Halifax and Belleville. Casey initially worked as a direct entry officer and then as a public affairs officer for Royal Canadian Air Force at 8 Wing Trenton, RCAF香蕉视频直播檚 home base for air mobility. She spent most of 2018 with the CF-18 Demo Team before joining the Snowbirds in November of that year.
The RCAF has suffered another tragic loss of a dedicated member of the RCAF team. We are deeply saddened and grieve alongside Jenn香蕉视频直播檚 family and friends. Our thoughts are also with the loved ones of Captain MacDougall. We hope for a swift recovery from his injuries. - Comd RCAF
香蕉视频直播� CF Snowbirds (@CFSnowbirds)
Casey is the seventh service member to have lost their life this spring after in a helicopter crash near Greece in April.
On Sunday, two jets took off from Kamloops Airport at about 11:30 a.m., bound for Comox, when one rose, then circled and crashed in the Brocklehurst neighbourhood. Photos show that the jet appeared to crash into a house.
Emergency crews including Kamloops Airport香蕉视频直播檚 aircraft rescue fleet responded to the crash.
Emergency crews including Kamloops Airport's aircraft rescue fleet are responding to an aircraft crash off airport involving a Canadian Snowbirds jet. More information to follow.
香蕉视频直播� Kamloops Airport (@KamloopsAirport)
香蕉视频直播淥ur number one priority at this time is determining the status of our personnel, the community and supporting emergency personnel, 香蕉视频直播� the CAF said, noting all next of kin have been notified.
香蕉视频直播淲e are thankful for the ongoing support of emergency crews, including the Kamloops Airport香蕉视频直播檚 aircraft rescue fleet, who are responding to the incident.
Social media images and videos show flames and black smoke in the area of the crash.
Mike Trafford, of Kamloops, said he heard the two jets take off as he was at his home not far from the airport.
香蕉视频直播淚 saw the lower plane do a barrel roll. I saw the pilot eject and the plane took a nosedive,香蕉视频直播� Trafford told Black Press Media by phone.
Trafford thought he saw the ejected pilot香蕉视频直播檚 parachute open up but believed there were two on board at the time of the crash.
Heartbreaking. Captain Jennifer Casey is now the 8th Service Person (1 RCMP, 6 HMCS Fredericton) to have lost their life in service to their country in the last few weeks 馃槩 馃挃
香蕉视频直播� Junior Night in Manitoba 馃馃尵 (@JuniorNightMB)
RIP Captain Casey
Prayers to the surviving Pilot 馃檹馃徏
Marni Capostinsky said she lives across the street from the crash site and was out on the deck when she heard the plane getting closer.
香蕉视频直播淲e ran out under the cover to look and saw something black coming towards us, everyone hit the deck it was so loud,香蕉视频直播� said Capostinsky.
Capostinsky said there were large flames flaring on and off and there was a strong toxic smell in the area.
She says her son immediately ran out with a hose and neighbours tried to help before first responders arrived.
香蕉视频直播淚t was really scary but good to see everyone trying to come together,香蕉视频直播� said Capostinsky.
Kenny Hinds, who lives in the house seven doors down from the crash site, had been watching the aircraft after hearing them take off, and said he was able to see the crash.
香蕉视频直播淚 heard 香蕉视频直播榖ang, bang,香蕉视频直播� and just as I looked before it left my view from the house beside me, I saw the Snowbird going straight down,香蕉视频直播� said Hinds. 香蕉视频直播淚 saw what looked like a parachute about, say, 20 feet over the house, and it disappeared from sight, and the parachute hadn香蕉视频直播檛 fully deployed yet 香蕉视频直播� it was still sort of straight up and down.香蕉视频直播�
RCMP confirmed they are on scene but could not provide additional details. Health Minister Adrian Dix said one person was taken to hospital.
The Snowbirds have been flying across Canada since taking off from the Maritimes at the beginning of May. The flight, dubbed Operation Inspiration, reached B.C. this weekend and was supposed to boost morale for Canadians who have spent months in isolation in an attempt to flatten the curve of COVID-19. Sunday香蕉视频直播檚 flight had already been delayed because of rain and low visibility but the cause of the crash is not yet known.
Snowbird crashes in Kamloops.
香蕉视频直播� Steve Delaney (@TheKamloopian)
More to come.
香蕉视频直播� With files from The Canadian Press
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