One person is dead after a Canadian air force jet crashed into a house during a tribute to front-line COVID-19 workers.
On Sunday (local time), the Snowbirds aerobatic jet team was taking part in a performance as part of Operation Inspiration, aimed at boosting morale amid the pandemic.
Video shot by a witness showed two of the team's Canadair Tutor single-engine aircraft taking off. One of the planes reared up almost immediately before plunging to the ground in the city of Kamloops, exploding just after the pilot ejected.
Officials in Kamloops - about 320km northeast of Vancouver in the West Coast Canadian province - said the jet had hit a residential home, sparking a fire.
Kenny Hinds, who lives just seven doors from the crash site, told Associated Press he saw the accident happen.
"I heard 'bang, bang,' and just as I looked before it left my view from the house beside me, I saw the Snowbird going straight down," he said.
"I saw what looked like a parachute about, say, 20 feet over the house, and it disappeared from sight, and the parachute hadn't fully deployed yet - it was still sort of straight up and down."
Hinds then ran down the street to see if he could help.
"I got there maybe a minute after it crashed and there was a couple of residents that had their hoses out and they were trying to put the flames out because it hit a house," he said.
"It looked like most of it landed in the front yard, but maybe a wing or something went through the roof perhaps."
The Snowbirds later posted to Twitter one person didn't survive.
"It is with heavy hearts that we announce that one member of the CF Snowbirds team has died and one has sustained serious injuries. We can confirm that we have contacted all primary family members of those involved," it tweeted.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he'd be in touch with the country's defence minister and expressed his condolences.
"My thoughts are with the brave members of the Royal Canadian Air Force," he wrote.
Reuters / Newshub.
