Canada: 2 hurt in near miss involving plane, suspected drone

TORONTO – Officials say a Porter Airlines flight approaching Toronto’s island airport took evasive action to avoid a suspected drone, injuring two flight attendants.

Julie Leroux of Canada’s Transportation Safety Board said the near collision occurred at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning at an altitude of about 9,000 feet and 30 miles out from the airport near Pickering, Ontario.

Leroux says the object involved in the near miss was likely an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Porter spokesman Brad Cicero says two flight attendants sustained minor injuries. They were taken to a hospital and released.

Cicero says the pilots’ initial assessment was that it looked like a balloon. After debriefing, they believe it was possibly a drone.

TSB investigators will interview the crew.

The Bombardier Q400 turboprop was carrying 54 passengers from Ottawa. The airport is located just off Toronto’s downtown core.