CFJC

By CFJC Staff

Snowbird crash in Kamloops

Canadian Forces Snowbird Jet crashes in Brocklehurst area of Kamloops

May 17, 2020 | 2:12 PM

KAMLOOPS — A Canadian Forces Snowbird jet has crashed into the Brocklehurst residential area in Kamloops. The jet had just taken off from the Kamloops airport around 11;40 am Sunday morning.

One member of the Snowbirds team was killed in the crash while another suffered serious injuries. The Snowbirds say the survivor suffered injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

City of Kamloops officials say Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) crews arrived on scene in minutes and were joined by the Kamloops Airport “crash truck”. KFR is working with several other agencies including the RCMP, BC Ambulance, airport authorities, and Military representatives.

The crash was distributed on multiple social media platforms. It appears to show two people ejecting from the jet as it tumbled to the ground.

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Witnesses say a person was pulled from a roof of a home on a stretcher and placed into an ambulance. BC Health Minister Adrian Dix has confirmed at least one person was transported to hospital.

Chelsy Gyger was across the street from the crash. She says she heard the jet impacting the ground and ran outside to see the wreckage in the yard of a neighbouring house. “We went running across the street and the plane and the house was on fire,” said Gyger. Debris from the crash was thrown into a nearby house. “Oh God, it was just chaos,” she added. At least one home was burned as a result of the crash. It is not known whether anyone on the ground was injured in the crash.

WATCH: (Warning: Some viewers may find this video disturbing.)

Witnesses have also said they saw the pilot eject before the plane went down. However, the status of the pilot is not known.

Zion Chong witnessed the crash from the Kamloops Airport. Chong told CFJC Today:

“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.”