The woman, whose name has not been released, was traveling with about 19 students and staff from the college on a BC bus that collided with a truck near Castlegar, about 620 kilometers east of Vancouver, Thursday afternoon. Castlegar RCMP are still investigating the accident. “Our hearts go out to the student’s family and friends,” Selkirk College President Maggie Matear said in a statement.
The student was on life support
A police statement said the teenager’s classmates administered first aid before she was taken to a Kelowna hospital, where she was on life support. “All other students and staff involved in the accident were taken to Kootenay Lake Hospital to be evaluated and released on the evening of June 30,” Matear said. Most of the students and staff involved in the clash were part of a five-week language program at Selkirk College. BC Premier John Horgan said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of the 18-year-old’s death. “An investigation is underway to help determine the cause of the crash so we can work to prevent future accidents of this nature,” he said in a statement. RCMP said an oncoming Purolator truck sideswiped the bus on Highway 3A. Counselors from Selkirk College and RCMP victim assistance workers are supporting the remaining Quebec students. Investigators are working to determine why the van plowed into the bus and are looking for dash cam video from vehicles directly in front of the bus before the crash, which occurred at about 4:30 p.m. of June 30.
