Firefighting helicopter crashes near Lillooet

The pilot injured in a helicopter crash while fighting a forest fire near Lillooet was flown to Royal Inland Hospital on Thursday afternoon in the dedicated helicopter unveiled by Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon just last week.

The crash occurred at 12:20 p.m. in the Porcupine Creek area near Lillooet. The helicopter was involved in the effort to put out the Jade Mountain fire.

B.C. Ambulance Service spokesman Steve Roberts said a critical-care paramedic crew flew in the helicopter that responded to the incident.

Transwest Helicopters Ltd. issued a news release to say the pilot is from Vernon. His co-pilot is from Abbotsford.

Both were conscious when they were pulled from the helicopter. Transwest did not have more information about the extent of their injuries.

Company president and chief executive officer Ernst-Ulrich Maas said his main priority and concern currently is the well-being of our crew.

"We understand that both crew members have sustained injuries, but the full extent of these injuries are not known to us at this time. Our thoughts are with them and their families," he said in the release.

The men were flying a Bell 214B helicopter and the pilot was highly experienced.

Bill Yearwood, regional manager with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said the Transwest helicopter was going uphill to the fire with a bucket of water.

"It turned back and crashed on the hill. It was being followed by another helicopter," he said.

The second helicopter wasn't affected, and that pilot was able to call for help.

"Our information is both pilots escaped the wreck and were taken to hospital," he said.

"We understand the pilot's injuries are not life-threatening. We're hoping to be able to talk to him as soon as he's comfortable doing it."

TSBC ordered the helicopter wreckage to be lifted from the site before it gets charred by the fire. It will be taken to the Fraser Valley for examination starting next week.

myoung@kamloopsnews.ca