A head-on collision temporarily shut down the Pacific Rim Highway in both directions Saturday afternoon.
The crash occurred around 1:45 p.m. near Landfill Road, within the Pacific Rim National Park.
Const. Marcel Midlane of the Ucluelet RCMP told the Westerly News at the scene that none of the five people involved in the two-vehicle collision sustained life-threatening injuries but, he said, several were air lifted out to receive treatment. He said all five were visitors to the area.
“Everybody was conscious and alert, but there’s a likelihood of some breaks or tears requiring surgery,” Midlane said.
He said an investigation into the crash is ongoing but, based on the evidence, inattentive driving looked likely to blame.
“At this point, we’re investigating the cause of the accident and trying to determine what exactly took place,” he said. “Driving without due care and attention is what we’re looking at at this point. Alcohol was not a factor from what we can tell.”
The road was reopened to alternating traffic at around 3 p.m.
