A single-occupant plane has been confirmed to have crashed at the Merritt Airport early Monday morning.

Merritt Fire Chief Dave Tomkinson told the Herald the pilot has been transferred to hospital by ambulance around 1a.m.

“We extricated the lone occupant, which was the pilot, using hydraulic rescue tools, or the Jaws of Life,” said Tomkinson. “We were dispatched around 12:45a.m., with crews getting back to the station around 2:30a.m.”

RCMP released a statement at 9:13a.m. saying a missing person report, that was issued just after midnight, is what led to the discovery of the wreck.

The investigation into what factors led to this incident is in its very early stages, states Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, Media Relations Officer for the RCMP Southeast District. RCMP will continue to support Transport Canada who is also investigating.

Emergency crews extricated the pilot, a Merritt man in his 60’s, who was rushed to hospital with serious injuries by BC Emergency Health Services. His current condition is unknown.

Two fire engines were dispatched to the scene, as well as a rescue truck, and a total of seventeen firefighters.

The airport has reopened as of 3p.m. on Monday. Since the Merritt Airport is a non-towered centre, City of Merritt Chief Administrative Officer, Scott Hildebrand said flight planning is coordinated through the NAV Canada Flight Information Centre in Kamloops.

The cause of the crash is yet to be known. The Merritt weather station reports that approximately one centimetre of snow fell at the location between Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8, though the airport was plowed on Saturday.

Mayor Linda Brown has released the following statement: “This type of news is never easy to hear.  My heart goes out to the person involved and his family.  On behalf of Council, I would like to thank our Public Works and Fire Rescue Departments, the Merritt RCMP, B.C. Ambulance Services and NAV Canada, for their work in responding as quickly as possible once we became aware of the incident.”

The Merritt RCMP are asking if you witnessed this incident and have not yet spoken to police please call the Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262.