Weekly wrap: flights, ferries and carfentanil
Harrowing transportation stories, deadly opioid concerns and Vancouver loses the last beluga
Each week we put together a list of some of the stories you might have missed: those which dominated the news agenda, and some we just can't resist retelling.
Near-disasters in the transportation sector were the dominant force on this week's top stories.
Our most-read story by far was about a WestJet flight bound for Terrace, B.C., that landed safely after encountering problems with its landing gear.
Passengers on the flight described moments of dread and fear as the plane circled above Prince George with emergency personnel waiting on the runway.
Two days later, a United Airlines plane clipped wings with a WestJet aircraft on the tarmac at Vancouver International Airport, leaving both planes damaged and unable to fly.
Luckily, no customers were on board either aircraft. A United spokesman said both planes were being towed at the time.
Adventure on the high seas
Oh, and let's not forget the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) strike deadline notice at YVR.
The Swissport International workers could disrupt flights as early as Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.
Not to be outdone by its aerial cousin, trouble played out in the nautical transportation sector as well.
This week, 21 passengers were trapped aboard a BC Ferries vessel after high winds and rough waves kept it from docking at the Tsawwassen terminal.
According to Environment Canada, winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour whipped the southern Gulf Islands overnight Wednesday.
Carfentanil concerns
Fentanyl has captured our audience's attention for months. Now, police are saying they've found the deadly elephant sedative carfentanil on Vancouver streets.
Carfentanil is about 100 times more potent than fentanyl; an amount the size of half a grain of salt is enough to be deadly for humans.
Health Canada confirmed the presence of carfentanil in drugs that were seized in the Downtown Eastside on Sept. 20.
To offer some perspective on why this is such a concern for first responders, the BC Coroners Service has already reported 622 illicit-drug deaths in British Columbia between January and October, with fentanyl involved in 60 per cent of them.
Ailing beluga
And a sad ending to our top animal story of the week with death of Aurora, Vancouver's last living beluga.
The 30-year-old animal died Friday night after two weeks of poor health.
The whale had not been eating and appeared to be suffering from cramps and inflammation.
The cause of her death will be investigated in the necropsy.
The beluga has been exhibiting similar symptoms to those that preceded the death of her daughter, Qila.
The deaths of Aurora and Qila have reignited a call for a vote on whether the city should allow cetaceans in captivity.
