On Saturday, a seaplane and a pleasure boat collided in Vancouver’s bustling Coal Harbour when a Harbour Air plane crashed into the boat, resulting in several injured passengers aboard both vessels.
The incident occurred shortly before 1 p.m., prompting the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria to dispatch assistance. The Kitsilano Coast Guard station sent two rescue vessels to the scene following the report of a collision between a floatplane and a boat.
According to Vancouver police, the collision involved a Harbour Air seaplane and a pleasure boat near Canada Place. Constable Tania Visintin of the Vancouver Police Department confirmed that the crash took place just before 1 p.m., with numerous individuals aboard both the seaplane and the boat.
The JRCC received the emergency call, which led to the deployment of rescue vessels from the Kitsilano Coast Guard station, as noted by Maritime Forces Pacific. All passengers from both the plane and the boat were safely brought to shore, although the exact number of injured individuals transported to hospitals has not been specified.
Social media posts displayed images and videos of a small plane partially submerged in the water, surrounded by a SeaBus and other nearby vessels. Coal Harbour in Vancouver is known for its downtown seaplane terminal, services carriers such as Harbour Air and Seair Seaplanes. Harbour Air confirmed that one of its seaplanes was involved in the collision during take-off.
Jessica Dunn, a spokeswoman for Harbour Air, stated that the pilot and all five passengers on the scenic tour were safe, and all individuals on the boat were accounted for. “Safety remains our utmost priority,” Dunn emphasized. “We are working closely with the authorities to gather more information about this incident and support the affected parties.”
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Fire Chief Karen Fry confirmed on X that police and rescue teams were responding to the “marine incident” in Coal Harbour.
TransLink spokesperson Tina Lovgreen reported on social media that the captain of the SeaBus noticed the floatplane in distress and quickly diverted to provide assistance, preparing to deploy a life raft if necessary. The SeaBus remained on the scene until the Canadian Coast Guard released it, after which it returned to the terminal.