A WestJet plane collided with a parked CC-130H Hercules military aircraft at Comox Valley Airport, resulting in minor damage and no injuries. The incident occurred shortly after noon on Wednesday while the WestJet plane was taxiing for a flight to Edmonton.
According to a spokesperson from the airline, the collision was classified as minor, and all passengers and crew were safely offloaded from the aircraft with no reported injuries. The military spokesman confirmed that no one was onboard the parked Hercules plane.
Passenger Danielle Homeniuk, who was seated in the sixth row of the WestJet plane, witnessed the collision. She described how the tip of the right wing of the WestJet plane came off upon impact. Although she and her teenager experienced a sudden jolt, her head did not hit the seat in front. However, her teenager complained of neck strain, prompting a planned visit to the doctor upon their return home.
Homeniuk speculated that the abrupt halt occurred when the pilot hit the brakes hard. The pilot addressed the passengers a few minutes later, apologizing for the incident and mentioning that someone had given him the thumbs up, indicating that there was enough space to maneuver around the parked Hercules plane.
After the collision, it took approximately 20 minutes for the first group of 66 passengers at the front of the plane to disembark. Shuttles were then arranged to transport passengers to the terminal, where they waited for another plane.
Despite the presence of emergency personnel, Homeniuk, who is a nurse, noted that no one inquired if they were okay. Only when she requested an ice pack for her teenager did a member of the airport staff eventually provide one.
The airport directed inquiries to the airline and the military. The investigation into the incident is being carried out by WestJet, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and the Transportation Safety Board. Andrew McKelvey, a spokesman for National Defence, stated that the RCAF was working to minimize the impact on fixed-wing search-and-rescue operations within Search and Rescue Region Victoria. However, rotary wing search-and-rescue coverage remains unaffected.
As the investigation involves multiple flight safety agencies, it would be premature to comment on the extent of the damage or speculate on the cause, McKelvey emphasized.
The incident highlights the need to prioritize safety measures and ensure effective communication between ground crew and pilots to prevent such collisions in the future.
