Float plane crashed Wednesday during afternoon takeoff Jan-Christian Sorensen, Katharine Hamer News Reporters Fsorensen@nsnews.com khamer@nsnews.com A twin engine float plane carrying 15 passengers crashed into Burrard Inlet shortly after takeoff Wednesday. The de Hasilland Twine Quer owned by West Coast Air was on its way te Victoria, The pilot made ans cimergeney landing just ater 3 pom. when one of the engines caught tite. Several vessels inthe area came to the downed plane’s atid. The SeaBus Burrard Beaver was first on the scene. The Bearer was heading south from North Vancouver towards Vancouver when its passen- gers and crew witnessed the accident. Bearer Caprain Ray Hughes swing the Seabus around to reach the plane, dispatching one of the ves- sef’s 150-person life-ratts for the plane's pas- sengers. “The plane was in the water and about owo- thirds of it, was submerged,” said Hughes. “One wing and one pontoon was torn off and Passengers were half onto the fuselage and the wing and more were coming out the top hatch.” The Braver was joined at the scene by its Friday, November 3, 2000 - North Shore News - 3 NEWS photo Paul McGrath BURRARD Beaver marine attendant Mike Andrews, left, and Burrard Otter Capt. Ray Hughes were first on the scene of Wednesday's float piane crash. Mike Andrews, a marine attendant onboard the Orter, helped evaluate the state of the plane's occupants. Aside from one male passenger who appeared to have cracked or broken ribs, said Andrews, most appeared to be unscathed. One of the passengers told Andrews what had happened onboard the plane. “One of them told us that ihe pilot said ‘Oh, sh**" and said “Everything just started onboard the SeaBus spotted a flame belch from one of the plane’s engines during the tkeotl attempt, “Ldowt know exactly what happened with (the plane) but there was still smoke coming fram one of the engines when we lett (the scene)” Andrews said. A fleet of vessels assisted with the rescue, including a Tymac water taxi, several: Cates tugs, the Coast Guard cutter Osprey, a SeaBus vessel _Kia- ist harbour rescue A North Vancouver District fireboat initial- ly called to respond was not needed. “There’s an unspoken maritime rule that if anybody's in trouble that everybody that can responds and helps out,” said Andrews, Andrews also applauded several unidentified passengers on board the Bearer who quickly offered to lend a hand in the rescue attempt. “The crew of the Bearer were getting peo- ple coming up to them and asking if they could help.” Hughes said that the SeaBus crews and vol- unteers were able to get the passengers into the lifeboat in a matter of minutes. “They didn’t even get their feet wer. Ie was close, though. The plane was down preity far into the water.” Andrews accompanied the plane passengers onto the Tymac water taxi to the Coast Guard cutter Osprey, which transported the victims to dry Jand. When he passed by the scene again about half an hour later, the plane had all but com- pletely disappeared. “On the way back all you could see was a cone sticking above the water, like a witch’s hat.” he said. “That was all vou could see of the plane.” The SeaBus vessels — which were only one- quarter full when involved in the rescue — were only tied up for about 15 minutes and resumed their regular routes immediately fol- lowing the rescue. West Coast Air issued a brief statement late Vednesday, applauding the — emergency responce stills of the plane’s crew and pointing out that the company had an excellent safety record. Passengers on the plane suffered bumps and bruises, but there were no serious injuries. The cause of the accident is unknown. The sister ship, the Burrard Otter, which was — spinning’.” northbound at the time of the accident. Keith Lynn Alternate school teacher runs as independent Deana Lancaster News Reporter dlancaster@nsnews.com NINETEENTH century English philosopher William Arthur Ward once said, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” Rusty Corben is aiming to fall into the latter category. The Keith Lynn Alternate see- ondary school (KLASS) teacher filed his papers Monday, and found out Tuesday that he’s been accepted to “run as an independent candidate for North Vancouver in this month's federal election. But the 29-year-old doesn’t have any illusions about win- ning a seat and going on to change the councry. “I chink [ have a greater chance of winning the lottery than of winning in the election ... and [don’t even buy a lottery ticket.” But he’s trying to teach by example, and running in the election is “a vehicle tor teaching, my students about Canada and the government.” » Students attcnd KLASS when they've been unsuccessful in the mainstream school system. “A lot of them don’t know anything about Canada and about government. They weren't in their regular high school class when it was being taught so it’s a foreign, negative con- cept to them. “T wane to make it accessible, show them that if you want to change the world around you and not just let other people make decisions that affeet you, vou have to vote.” His candidacy fits in with a school-wide teaching unit about the country. Called Canada: The Places, The Pe suple, The Past, the unit will extend into every subject. Course work in each class will have a Canadian focus — in art, students will study Canadian artists; in English, they"ll read Canadian authors; and in social studies, they'll learn about historical fig- ures. and events — including government and the election process. “Anything { do will be things the students will be involved He was told that one of the workboat and the harbour master’s Passengers — wwichen. Transportation Safety Board is investigating. NEWS photo Terry Peters KEITH Lynn Alternate secondary school teacher Rusty Corben is running as an independent North Van can- didate in the federal election as a way of teaching his students about government and the election process. in. We've been talking in class about my platform, and we're brainstorming how my campaign should be run.” One student has already taken on the role of official image consultant. “He said I need to buy new shoes and told me what kind of haireut [ should get.” Corben and the students may also go door-to-door, or down to the parking Jor at Save-on Foods, to talk about the issues and his platform. He might also have some of them help him create election signs to post in the community. His stand on the issues, he said, is not too far from the Liberal platform. “More money to the provinces for health care, and for education; some tax cuts, but not just for higher incomes, for lower income families too. “One thing Tagree with the Canadian Alliance on is that the Prime Minister's office has way too much power. It’s almost tyrannical. There should be more free votes, and more room for backbenchers to get involved.” So what kind of reaction has he got from the kids so far? “T would say thar half of them have no idea what Pm talk- ing about. But the other half are surprised that 'm doing it, and interested.” And that’s his motivation. “Small victories are big things at Keith Lynn.” NV independent backs political tax NORTH Vancouver @ take the House of federal independent Commons on the road. For candidate Dallas Collis 12 weeks a year the house a d his “Putti would have to “hold court” outline his CG ene for about a week in each of anada an aANaaas the provinces and territories. First” platform on These sittings would be. for Thursday. the public to come and make their opinions known, a time Among his ideas: for politicians to just listen @ establish a owo-dollar. per. and learn. person, per year, political tax to be paid when filing tx returns, This. money. would replace all private political campaign financing: Online | readers. can” respond to the following See Online page 5