B.C. first responders attended an emergency seaplane landing in the San Juan Islands region in Washington state, near the B.C. border, on Thursday evening.
The Kenmore Air seaplane was carrying 10 passengers and one pilot, according to a U.S. Coast Guard news release Friday morning. All 11 people are accounted for, said the release, although several injured passengers were taken to hospitals in the U.S.
The U.S. Coast Guard said Canadian and American agencies responded along with a number of “good Samaritan vessels.”
“The aircraft caught fire following the emergency landing and is currently against the rocks on Sucia Island,” the release said.
The Canadian Coast Guard ship Siyay and B.C. Air Ambulance, operated by B.C. Emergency Health Services, responded to the incident, in addition to a number of U.S. Coast Guard and Washington state agencies, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
CBC News has reached out to the Canadian Coast Guard and BCEHS.
Kenmore Air said in a news release Thursday night that one of its de Havilland DHC-3 Otter aircraft leaving from Lake Union, Seattle, was “involved in an accident in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island” at about 5:15 p.m. PT.
“We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for, and our immediate focus is ensuring our passengers and pilot receive the care and support they need,” said CEO David Gudgel in the release.
More stories from Vancouver-South Coast
Kenmore Air cancelled all scheduled flights for Friday.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the cause of the emergency landing and fire are under investigation.
The company said in its release that it flies more than 90,000 passengers annually and provides flights to more than “45 water-based destinations” in the Pacific Northwest and B.C.
