Two B.C. men who died in crash of homemade plane near Nanaimo identified

July 28, 2014 - 12:23 PM

NANAIMO, B.C. - The B.C. Coroners' Service has identified two men who died in the crash of a homemade plane near Nanaimo Airport.

Seventy-three-year-old Michael Weir of Salt Spring Island and 50-year-old Gerald Thom of Youbou were taking their aircraft on flight trials on Saturday night.

The coroners' service says witnesses noticed the Avid amphibious plane was in trouble after takeoff, at about 7 p.m.

It crashed immediately onto the Cottonwood Golf Course, and both men died at the scene.

Trent Kaese, who owns the golf course, said afterwards that only the tail section was left and that the rest of the two-seater plane had disintegrated.

The coroners' service and the Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2014

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