Central Saanich to ask Transport Canada to investigate Capital City Skydiving

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The District of Central Saanich says it will write a letter to Transport Canada to investigate Capital City Skydiving following two incidents involving the company that led to injuries this year. Calvin To reports. 

The District of Central Saanich says it will write a letter to Transport Canada to investigate Capital City Skydiving following two incidents involving the company that led to injuries this year.

Mayor Ryan Windsor says it’s a matter of having emergency resources available when they’re needed.

“Having the situations that can be avoided actually prevented is a great way to ensure that [emergency responders] really are called out where they’re most needed,” Windsor said. “And I don’t believe that this is a circumstance where they should be most needed. I think that these are preventable incidents.”

According to Capital City Skydiving, the company has been involved in a number of incidents leading to injury over the past year, one at the Oak Bay Tea Party and two in Central Saanich.

Capital City Skydiving’s owner, Bob Verret, a former military search and rescue technician, says the incidents were not preventable and were not due to a fault in their safety procedures.

“I feel almost harassed by these complaints,” Verret said. “And if Central Saanich would come talk to me about the situation, I could explain where we’re coming from, we probably wouldn’t be having this interview.”

According to Transport Canada, there were two incidents in 2016 where the company made in error, releasing skydivers into controlled airspace without the permission of air traffic control. Neither created a hazard on the ground.

Verret says he’s willing to deal with officials should he be contacted.

In the meantime, he says his company will continue to follow safety procedures mandated by regulatory bodies.

“Skydiving is a risky sport,” he said. “Most of the skydivers that you know have had some incidents. It’s like everything else. You fall at hockey, get up, keep playing. Keep going again.”

 

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