2 dead in helicopter crash in remote area of B.C. coast

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating after a helicopter crash killed two people on the B.C. coast north of Vancouver Island.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating after a helicopter crash killed two people on the B.C. coast north of Vancouver Island. West Coast Helicopters shared news of the crash in a post on social media , identifying the deceased as pilot Riley Browne and forestry worker Bobby Nowak. The company said a Hughes 500 helicopter was operating in Loughborough Inlet for “forestry operations” with a company called CFMG.

The aircraft crashed around 6:15 a.m. with three people on board, WCH said. It did not share the identity of the lone survivor. In a brief statement, the TSB said it would be deploying a team of investigators to the incident, which it described as having occurred “near Knight Inlet.”

“The team will arrive on site Wednesday morning and will gather information and assess the occurrence,” the TSB said. Knight and Loughborough inlets are adjacent fjords north of the Johnstone Strait, which separates Vancouver Island from the B.C. mainland. They are located roughly opposite the Vancouver Island community of Sayward, about halfway between Campbell River and Port McNeill.

WCH described Browne as “one of the pillars of the company,” who began his flying career in 2021. “Riley was a good friend and pilot to all who worked with him,” the post reads. “He always had a smile on his face, eager to help.”

The company offered its condolences to Browne and Nowak’s families, describing Nowak as “a great guy.” “Rest in peace, Riley and Bobby. You will not be forgotten,” the post concludes.