Earlier today, members of the Williams Lake RCMP were advised that a private aircraft was overdue from the Springhouse Airstrip near Williams Lake, BC. The aircraft departed the Springhouse Airstrip shortly before 830am this morning and was due to return to the airstrip in the early afternoon for refuelling. The aircraft was apparently conducting animal surveys in the area of Big Creek Park when the aircraft’s beacon was reported to be relaying an intermittent signal indicating a hard landing or a crash.

The Williams Lake Fire Center and National Defence dispatched resources to the area in an attempt to locate the aircraft.

At 140pm, an update was received from National Defence rescue personnel that the aircraft had been located in Big Creek Provincial Park, approximately 45 km south of Hanceville off Hwy 20. All four occupants of the aircraft have survived the crash. Three of the occupants have been extracted from the aircraft and are currently being transported to hospital with undetermined injuries. Efforts are currently being made to extract a fourth occupant from the aircraft. These efforts are ongoing.
The Transportation Safety Board has been advised of the incident and will be conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

No further information is available at this time.