B.C. plane crash survivor's doctors amazed

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The lone survivor of a plane crash that killed seven people in British Columbia is not deeply religious but he must have received help from above to survive against staggering odds, his brother says.

"There's no way he could have went through that and come down without some sort of help," Michael Wilson told a news conference Tuesday at Vancouver General Hospital.

The brother said neither sibling is a strong believer "but something was definitely with him to help him."

Tom Wilson, 36, walked away from the Sunday morning crash that killed seven others, including the pilot and six of his co-workers. The Pacific Coastal Airlines plane, a Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft, went down on Thormanby Island, off the British Columbia coast north of Vancouver.

Dr. John Reid was at a loss to explain how the man could not only survive, but suffer only burns to his face, hands and right thigh. There were no broken bones or internal injuries.

"It's really quite remarkable he had no fractures and had no internal injuries," said Reid, who is among several doctors and nurses caring for Wilson at the hospital's burn and trauma unit.

"He is really making a remarkable recovery and, in fact, is in excellent spirits and has a very positive attitude about his recovery."

The brother, who came from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, with other family members, said his injured sibling was "grieving for the friends he's lost."

So far, he hasn't talked about the crash.

Dr. Anthony Papp, a burn specialist, suggested the man's burns could have been much worse.

He said they are a type that normally heal on their own without surgery.

Michael Wilson said his brother does accounting work for Peter Kiewit Sons Co., a construction firm working on a hydroelectric development for Plutonic Power Corp. in Toba Valley, north of Powell River.

He said his brother had been with the company for about 10 years.

Peter Kiewit Sons on Tuesday identified its five employees who were killed in the crash as Kyle Adams, Jerry Burns, Ajay Cariappa, Waldemar Klemens and Matt Sawchenko.

Media reports have identified mechanic Tom Orgar as the sixth victim and pilot Peter McLeod as the seventh.

Rescuers who found a burned and bloodied Tom Wilson along the shoreline several hours after the crash said he told them he fled the burning wreckage moments before it exploded.

He walked downhill, along a stream and through thick forest until he reached the beach where his rescuers spotted him.

Reid said his patient is expected to make a full recovery, but will likely stay in hospital for at least a few more days.

Meanwhile, the Transportation Safety Board and the B.C. Coroners Service continued their investigation.

The plane crashed at high speed and burst into flames shortly afterwards.

After examining the scene on Monday, a transportation board spokesman said it appeared the plane was likely flying at a low altitude and trying to climb when it went into the trees in poor visibility. But it wasn't clear why the plane crashed.

Sunday's crash was the second this year involving one of Pacific Coastal's Grumman Goose aircraft.

In August, five people were killed when another Goose crashed on Vancouver Island.

The Transportation Safety Board has yet to issue its report on the earlier crash.