Nelson Search and Rescue and the Royal Canadian Air Force team up to rescue 2 after helicopter crash

Air Force, SAR team up

Photo: Royal Canadian Air Force

19 Wing aircraft respond to helicopter crash near Nelson, B.C.

A combined effort from Nelson Search and Rescue, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and a local tour operator helped two people get to medical care after a helicopter crash on Friday morning.

Public Affairs Officer Lieutenant Keil Kodama said RCAF crews from 19 Wing Comox were called to help in a crash at approximately 8:05 a.m. near Mount Kubin.

Using their CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft, they joined a local Nelson helicopter operator in responding to the scene.

"Due to low cloud and reduced visibility at the crash site, the Cormorant crew was initially unable to directly access the patients," Kodama said in the news release.

Nelson Search and Rescue worked alongside a local tour operator to get the two injured parties down via toboggan to a lower elevation, so CH-149 Cormorant could safely land and transport them to the hospital.

“One of the biggest challenges was the weather and cloud cover around the crash site,” said Capt. Matt Welsh, Aircraft Commander on the CH-149 Cormorant. “Thanks to the exceptional coordination between air and ground crews, the patients were safely brought to us so we could complete the evacuation.”

One patient was evacuated to Kelowna for further care, while Nelson SAR crews took the second patient to the local airport to hand over to BCEHS.

"This was a great collaboration between civil, military and commercial agencies, and we are very happy to have helped coordinate and facilitate a positive outcome for the subject's onward care," NSAR Manager Anna Wynne said.

The RCAF works closely with federal, provincial, and local partners to provide search and rescue coverage across Canada, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.