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Lack of cell service complicated B.C. bus crash response
First responders faced radio and satellite communication problems as they worked to reach about 20 injured passengers, officials said.
- On Nov. 4, 2026, a shuttle bus carrying 20 people crashed on Highway 39 near Mackenzie, British Columbia, after the vehicle went off the road in a remote area.
- Jennifer Cooper with the North District RCMP reported Wednesday that the crash site lacked cellphone and satellite reception, hampering radio communications and delaying the emergency response.
- Communication failures on Highway 39 are a familiar issue for northern residents, said Kiel Giddens, the provincial legislator for Prince George-Mackenzie, who noted coverage gaps persist across the region.
- About 38 per cent of British Columbia's highways lack cell service, with provincial officials identifying limited access to reliable power as a key barrier to expanding coverage.
- Infrastructure improvements are necessary to ensure emergency services can operate effectively during critical incidents, Giddens emphasized, highlighting the urgency of addressing connectivity gaps in northern regions.
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Lack of cell service complicated B.C. bus crash response (BC)
The provincial legislator for Mackenzie, B.C., says communications problems along Highway 39 that complicated the emergency response to a bus crash on Wednesday is a familiar issue for northern residents. The crash, which injured 20 people when a shuttle bus chartered by a contractor for a data cent...
·Kelowna, Canada
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The Toronto Star+20 Reposted by 20 other sources
Lack of cell service complicated B.C. bus crash response
MACKENZIE - The provincial legislator for Mackenzie, B.C., says communications problems along Highway 39 that complicated the emergency response to a bus crash on Wednesday is a familiar issue for
·Toronto, Canada
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Total News Sources23
Leaning Left16Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution73% Left
Bias Distribution
- 73% of the sources lean Left
73% Left
L 73%
C 23%
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