Prince George, BC – The pilot and lone occupant of a small plane has been killed in a crash near Williams Lake.

The float plane apparently left the airport in Williams Lake at approximately 1:40pm yesterday and was due to arrive back by 5pm. 

Captain Hugh Kennedy with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria says both a Buffalo aircraft and Cormorant helicopter were dispatched to the area.  Captain Kennedy says the Buffalo arrived first and was able to hone in on an emergency locator transmitter signal at approximately 11:20pm last night.

The wreckage was discovered on the east bank of the Fraser River, approximately five nautical miles west of Williams Lake.

Kennedy says the helicopter arrived on scene 30-minutes later and two SAR techs were lowered down to the site where it was determined the pilot had died in the crash.  There were no other occupants.

The victim’s identity has not been released.  However, it’s believed he was a long-time resident of the Cariboo and an experienced pilot.