Prince George, BC – Details are just emerging about a the crash of a float plane near the BC-Alberta border, west of Jasper, on Friday afternoon that claimed the life of a Vernon man.

Regional Coroner for the Northern Region, Donita Kuzma, says an emergency location transmitter signal was detected at 1:45pm on Friday afternoon.  Kuzma says when search and rescue personnel arrived at the crash site at an isolated high altitude lake in Hamber Provincial Park, they found the pilot and sole occupant aboard a Cessna 182 float plane had perished in the crash.

The victim has been identified as 62-year-old Yves Rene of Vernon.

Kuzma says it appears the float plane had made a landing at Fortress Lake, west of Jasper, but crashed during take-off.  The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Parks Canada and Squadron 442 were involved in the search and recovery efforts.

Kuzma says the Coroners Service, the Transportation Safety Board and RCMP all continue to investigate the crash.