WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014
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Heroic dad decorated with bravery award Francis Nand raced to rescue plane crash passengers Alan Campbell
Staff Reporter acampbell@richmond-news.com
Six people who dived into a burning aircraft to save stricken passengers have been recognized with one of Canada’s highest bravery awards. Several witnesses came to the rescue of the passengers after their small aircraft crashlanded and burst into flames short of YVR’s south runway, a few yards off the shoulder of Russ Baker Way, in October 2011. Both pilots of the Northern Thunderbird Air flight died in hospital, but the heroic efforts of the rescuers saved the lives of seven passengers, many of whom were trapped in the burning fuselage. The six — Jeremy Kerr, John Redmond and Haim Peri, all of Vancouver, Lonney Lee, of Maple Ridge, Shawn Nagurny, of Sardis, and Francis Nand, of Richmond — were all awarded Canada’s Medal of Bravery from David Johnston, Gov. General of Canada, at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, Ottawa on Tuesday. Heroic Richmond father-of-two Nand told the News that receiving the medal from the governor general was a “nice” experience before playing down his role in the rescue.
“I was sitting in my car in the parking lot at McDonald’s when I saw the plane come down,” said Nand, over the phone from Ottawa, moments after receiving his medal. “I just reacted, I didn’t even think and forgot about my own safety. There was so much smoke and flames, it was hard to tell who was what, but I remember someone, a passenger, kicking the plane door open. “It was chaotic, it was hot, I was helping drag people out of the plane.” Nand, who has a wife and two kids aged 14 and 11, said matter-of-factly that, once the rescue was complete, he went back to his car across the road and drove off, as he “had to pick his daughter up.” Created in 1972, the Decorations for Bravery recognize people who risked their lives to save or protect the lives of others. The Beechcraft King Air A100 aircraft had just taken off from YVR on Oct. 27, 2011 for a flight to Kelowna when the pilots noticed an oil leak in the left engine. They turned the plane around to return to YVR, but crashed on Russ Baker Way just outside the perimeter for the south runway. The impact caused a fuel leakage that was ignited.
Francis Nand, left, receives his Medal of Bravery from David Johnston, Gov. General of Canada, at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, Ottawa on Tuesday. The married father-of-two was one of six heroes who plucked passengers from the burning fuselage of a plane which crashed on Russ Baker Way in 2011. Inset, all six rescuers with their medals. Photos by Sgt. Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall. Drivers on Russ Baker Way raced to the scene of the plane crash in October 2011. File photo
Elderly pedestrian dies after collision with car RCMP crash investigators, at the scene of Tuesday morning’s fatal accident on Blundell Road. Photo by Alan Campbell/Richmond News
Alan Campbell
Staff Reporter acampbell@richmond-news.com
Police are urging pedestrians to take extra care after an elderly man died as a result of a collision with a vehicle on Tuesday morning. The accident happened just after 7 a.m. on Blundell Road, between Garden City and St. Alban’s roads. The elderly Richmond resident
was pronounced dead at the scene after attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. The driver of the vehicle that struck the man remained on the scene of the accident and is cooperating with police. At around 11 a.m., RCMP crash investigators were still examining the scene, which involved a silver GMC SUV, with its front, driver’s side
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headlight smashed in. Police are reminding all members of the public to use caution in the darker driving conditions and are warning people out walking at darker times of the day to wear bright clothing and take an extra second to ensure they can safely cross the street. Any witnesses should contact the lead investigator, Const. Quee at 604278-1212.
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