RCMP recover 3 bodies after float plane crash off Vancouver Island
Mounties say they have recovered the bodies of all three people who were aboard a float plane that crashed off B.C.'s central coast last week.
The crash occurred Wednesday afternoon in Strachan Bay, about 50 kilometres north of Port Hardy.
Wreckage of the plane wasn't found until two days after the crash on Friday, despite immediate search efforts.
On Monday, the RCMP said the bodies of all three people aboard were located over the weekend.
"Efforts to locate the plane and any potential survivors have been ongoing since the day of the crash,” said Cpl. Alex Bérubé, spokesperson for the BC RCMP, in a statement.
"Working through challenging weather conditions, our divers were able to locate the bodies of the pilot and the two passengers on Saturday, Nov. 26," he said.
Police say there's no suspected criminality involved in the crash.
The BC Coroners Service is continuing its investigation and is now in possession of the bodies.
Shortly after the crash, Port Hardy Mayor Patricia Corbett-Labatt told CTV News the fatal crash was "devastating" for the community.
The plane was heading from a logging camp in B.C.'s central coast to Port Hardy.
The plane was owned by Air Cab, which is based out of Coal Harbour, near Port Hardy.
Joel Eilersten, owner of Air Cab, told CTV News that he had ongoing concerns about two weather stations in the area that had been out of service for quite some time.
After the crash occurred, the Transportation Safety Board said it was dispatching investigators to the scene.
With files from CTV News Vancouver Island's Gord Kurbis and The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | 8 injured after city bus crashes into daycare in Montreal suburb Laval, driver arrested
Eight people were seriously injured after a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare Wednesday morning, according to first responders. The driver of the bus has been arrested, according to Quebec Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel.

A Conservative government would uphold federal-provincial health-care funding deals: Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that if he becomes prime minister he would uphold the 10-year deals Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is looking to ink with provinces and territories that would inject $46.2 billion in new funding into Canada's strained health-care systems.
Hope fading as deaths in Turkiye, Syria quake pass 11,000
With the hope of finding survivors fading, stretched rescue teams in Turkiye and Syria searched Wednesday for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by a catastrophic earthquake. The confirmed death toll from the world's deadliest quake in more than a decade passed 11,000.
How much Canadians have fallen behind amid high inflation and who's hurting the most
Inflation has eroded purchasing power for many Canadians, but the experience with rapidly rising prices has been far from uniform.
Awkward moment or conscious message? Political experts weigh in on Danielle Smith-Justin Trudeau handshake
An 'awkward' attempt at a handshake between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the prime minister Tuesday is another example of leaders from the western province hesitating before shaking Justin Trudeau's hand, say political experts.
opinion | Tom Mulcair: This is why the federal health-care proposal is so disappointing
Justin Trudeau has thrown in the towel in the fight to maintain the federal role as gatekeeper of a public, universal, accessible and fair health-care system in Canada, writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca. 'That could have tragic consequences for folks on the lower rungs of the social and economic ladder.'
Beetles barking up the wrong tree: Canada's boreal forests dying
Fir trees are under attack in the British Columbia interior, where severe drought and heat are putting forests at risk due to bark beetles.
opinion | Before you do your taxes, take note of these tax credits and deductions you may not have known about
Many Canadians are experiencing strains caused by the increased cost of living and inflation. In his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the top credits and deductions that you may be able to claim on your income tax return to help you save money.
Data shows 6 provinces see increase in average wait times at walk-in clinics in 2022
According to newly released data, six provinces had increased wait times for walk-in clinics in 2022, with Canadians waiting an average of 37 minutes before seeing a physician.