Helicopter Operator Arrested 16 Months After Crash

A man who was flying a helicopter and allegedly abandoned his three injured passengers after it crashed has been arrested 16 months after the incident. Vincent Matthew Porteous, 38, of Enderby, British Columbia is facing a list of criminal charges relating to the crash, which occurred in a river about 20 miles east of Enderby in southern B.C. in August of 2023. He's also charged with lying to Transport Canada according to castanet.com .

The Robinson R44 clipped a wire and ended up in a shallow section of the river. Porteous is alleged to have fled the scene in a car driven by someone else, leaving behind three female passengers who were taken by ambulance to a hospital. A dog that was also onboard died in the crash. Porteous appeared in court in Jan. 27 and was released on $5,000 bail. There has been no information released on his whereabouts for the last 16 months or the circumstances of his arrest. Witnesses said the helicopter involved was seen flying erratically over the river before the crash.