WestJet plane taxis off runway in heavy snow at B.C. airport; passengers OK

KELOWNA, B.C. – A WestJet airliner full of passengers has taxied off the tarmac at an airport in Kelowna, B.C., and is stuck in the snow.

Airport director Sam Samaddar says WestJet Flight 150, destined for Edmonton, was taxiing to the runway in heavy snow when it left the apron.

He says it’s too early to speculate about exactly what happened, but he notes there was poor visibility at the time.

Samaddar says passengers, who are OK, were taken off the plane and will be rebooked on other flights.

All of the plane’s wheels are off the runway, and Samaddar says it would be too risky to use the plane’s engines to attempt to move it back onto the tarmac.

He says the next step will be to remove fuel from the plane so it’s light enough to be towed.