Less than a week after a long-awaited safety improvement project officially kicked off, another fatal crash has taken place on the road between Port Alberni and Bamfield.
READ MORE: $31M Bamfield Road project breaks new ground for First Nation, Province of B.C.
On Oct. 24 at approximately 1:25 a.m., Port Alberni RCMP responded to a single-vehicle collision near Frederick Lake, just outside of Bamfield.
A vehicle with four occupants was found. A male passenger in the vehicle was deceased when emergency services arrived, while a female passenger was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital with “potentially serious” injuries. A child and the driver were transported to a hospital “to ensure their well-being.”
RCMP say early indications are that the vehicle left the roadway to the right and struck a tree. Motorists travelling the road observed the collision, assisted with first aid and called for emergency services.
The matter is still under investigation with the Port Alberni RCMP detachment, BC Coroner’s Service and RCMP Traffic Analyst. RCMP say alcohol is not believed to be a factor at this stage.
Sgt. Peter Dionne of the Port Alberni RCMP detachment said road conditions, inclement weather and limited communication at the remote location posed challenges in the police response to the incident.
The road to Bamfield has seen a number of fatal crashes, including a bus crash in 2019 that resulted in the deaths of two University of Victoria students.
READ MORE: Bamfield Road safety concerns resurface after fatal bus crash
Safety improvements, including chipsealing of the road, are expected to take place over the next year.
