By Keven Drews
The Canadian Press
TOFINO, B.C. — An ambulance making an early-morning trip down a steep highway skidded off the road and plunged into a lake, killing the two paramedics on board Tuesday.
The two attendants — one male and one female — served as paramedics for more than two decades before their vehicle crashed into Kennedy Lake on their way to Tofino, B.C.
Rescue teams recovered the bodies Tuesday afternoon. The names of the victims have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
Scrape marks could be seen on the short, concrete embankment between the highway and the cliff. The road at that point is at a steep grade.
''It’s very twisty, very windy and, of course, it’s a pretty fair drop on that particular stretch down to the lake itself,’' said Eric Russcher, mayor of Ucluelet, about 50 kilometres west along the highway.
''It’s the narrowness of the road. If a semi trailer was coming down one side of it, there’s no room for anybody else coming up the other side.’'
Russcher said municipal officials in the area have taken the matter up with the transportation ministry, including, most recently, at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Whistler last month.
''These are discussions that have gone on over a number of years. Future plans are (to) relocate that section of the road, but it hasn’t been determined yet.’'
Search and rescue officials and a Cormorant helicopter began a search of the area after ambulance dispatch notified them the emergency crew was overdue.
A highway worker then found debris in Kennedy Lake.
The ambulance had left Port Alberni at about 4:30 a.m. and was on its way back to Tofino after transferring a patient, said RCMP Sgt. Kevin Murray.
The part-time paramedics were based at the Tofino ambulance station.
''This is a tragic event and I know that every one of our members and staff feel this very deeply,’' B.C. Ambulance Service chief operating officer Les Fisher said in a written statement.
''Our fallen paramedics served BCAS and the people of B.C. for more than two decades and were well-known among colleagues.’'
Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon expressed his condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims.
''Safety of our paramedics is paramount,’' he said. ''We have launched an investigation into the circumstances and no stone will be left unturned.’'
Scott Fraser, NDP MLA for Alberni-Pacific Rim, said he knew the victims personally.
''I’m shocked that this happened,’' he said.
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