One person was critically injured and airlifted to hospital after a single-vehicle crash on the Inland Island Highway near Parksville Sunday afternoon.
Emergency crews were called to the scene along Highway 19 northbound near Exit 51 just after 2 p.m. on January 18th, according to BC Emergency Health Services.
“BC Emergency Health Services received a call at 2:07 p.m. on January 18, 2026, about a motor vehicle incident on the Inland Island Highway near Parksville,” said BCEHS Paramedic Public Information Officer Brian Twaites.
“Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment and transported one patient to hospital in critical condition.”
The response included two ambulances with primary care paramedics, one ambulance with advanced care paramedics, a paramedic supervisor and an air ambulance.
An additional ambulance later assisted at the hospital.
Police and fire crews worked alongside paramedics at the scene, where the vehicle was found off the roadway and in nearby trees with the occupant still inside when first responders arrived.
The crash forced the closure of the northbound lanes of Highway 19 at Exit 51 for several hours while crews managed the scene and cleared the vehicle.
The highway reopened at approximately 7 p.m., according to DriveBC.
Highway 19 — also known as the Inland Island Highway in this stretch — is a main north-south route on Vancouver Island and sees significant traffic between Nanaimo and communities such as Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
RCMP have not yet released details on what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.
No additional injuries or charges have been reported.
