Jet carrying Tim Hortons co-founder crashes in Nova Scotia
Two crew members, eight passengers sent to hospital to be checked out
A private jet carrying Tim Hortons co-founder Ron Joyce crashed Sunday at the northern Nova Scotia golf resort he owns, but no one was seriously injured.
The Bombardier Global 5000, en route from Hamilton, Ont., ran into trouble while landing in high winds at the Fox Harb'r Resort's private airstrip around 2:30 p.m. local time.
The Mounties, who confirmed Joyce was on board, said it appeared the jet's wing hit the runway, causing the plane to spin before stopping near the end of the runway. There was no fire.
The jet was carrying two crew members and eight passengers, who were taken to hospital to be checked out, but there were no major injuries.
Steven Joyce, Ron Joyce's son, was on the plane and said it was a rough flight before the crash.
"It's a pretty windy day, we were bouncing around a fair amount," Joyce said in an interview.
Incident may be investigated by TSB
"We've activated our emergency response plan. It's one of those things that you put together and you never really think you're going to use it."
He said the jet's landing gear "folded up" during the crash.
"It looks like a plane lying on its stomach in the grass," said Joyce.
It was a brand new jet, delivered to the resort last month.
Officialsfrom the Transportation Safety Board arrived atthe scene Sunday evening.
Spokesman John Cottreau said the board would assess the crash and determine whether a full investigation is necessary.
The Mounties set up a mobile command post at the resort as they continued their own investigation, said Const. Paul Calder.
"We're quite happy that we don't appear to have any major serious injuries," he said.
Calder said the provincial Environment Department has also been contacted because the jet is still carrying aviation fuel.
Ron Joyce, 77, who grew up in Tatamagouche, N.S, started the iconic Tim Hortons doughnut chain with NHL defenceman Tim Horton in the 1960s.
Joyce announced in 1995 that he was selling Tim Hortons to the Wendy's fast-food chain.