Small plane crashes in Vancouver, B.C., suburb

Published 12:27 am Friday, July 10, 2009

VANCOUVER, B.C. — A Vancouver International Airport spokeswoman says a small passenger plane crashed late Thursday in an industrial area of the nearby suburb of Richmond.

There was no immediate word on casualties.

Airport spokeswoman Alana Lawrence says the plane crashed near the rear of an IKEA store as it approached the airport on a flight from Victoria.

She said the twin-engine Piper Navajo can carry a crew of two and as many as six passengers but she did not know how many were aboard.

Canadian Press said employees of a nearby fast-food restaurant reported seeing flames coming from behind the IKEA but did not see or hear the crash.