Man rescued after small plane makes emergency landing in Lake Ontario, Toronto police say

A man has been rescued after a small, private plane was forced to do an emergency landing in Lake Ontario near downtown Toronto Friday, according to police. 

Shortly after 2 p.m., Toronto police received a call from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport that air traffic control had lost contact with an aircraft that was attempting to land there, Duty Insp. Lhawang Jongdong told reporters Friday afternoon. 

Police also received calls from civilians at that time that a small plane was seen landing on the water near Ashbridges Bay, he said.

Toronto police's marine unit dispatched boats immediately, Jongdong said, and found an aircraft with a parachute attached to its tail submerged in the water.

The pilot, a 49-year-old man and the plane's sole occupant, had been picked up by a sailboat, Jongdong said. Toronto police then transported him to shore where paramedics determined he had only minor injuries.

Jongdong said it was "very fortunate" that the pilot was able to walk away from the crash without being seriously injured. 

Police have been liaising with Transportation Canada, Ontario's Environment Ministry and a local marina as the emergency landing is investigated, he said. The Coast Guard has also been notified.

The pilot, who is also a doctor, told police he had taken off from Billy Bishop on his way to an emergency medical call in Pembroke, Ont., when he experienced an engine failure, Jongdong said. He was attempting to return to the downtown island airport, but was forced to deploy a parachute attached to the plane and land in the water about 200 to 300 metres from shore.

The pilot has since been released, Jongdong said.

The plane remains submerged about nine metres under water, he said, and the marine unit will work with a local marina to remove it Saturday. Police are working with the environment ministry to ensure there was no oil spillage, Dongjong said.