An apparent accidental plane death has claimed the life of veteran Canadian factual TV director/DOP John Driftmier, at the age of 30.
A statement issued by Montreal-based producer Pixcom on Sunday (February 24) said Driftmier was in Kenya filming the documentary series Dangerous Flights for Discovery Canada when the small plane he was in crashed Sunday morning, killing him and its pilot.
The series from Pixcom was in principal production on its second season.
“This is a terribly sad day for all of us,” said Paul Lewis, president and general manager of Discovery Canada, in a statement. “The Canadian production community has lost a bright and rising star. His talents will be missed and we share our deepest sympathies for his wife, family, friends and colleagues.”
Dangerous Flights chronicles a company of ferry pilots delivering small, private planes around the world. Driftmier as a director and cameraman specialized in factual television.
His numerous credits included several Discovery Canada series, including Highway Thru Hell, which follows a heavy towing rescue team removing semi truck wreckage from the winter highways of British Columbia, and Licence to Drill, about northern oil exploration.
Driftmier is survived by his wife and parents.
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A renowned Laikipia conservationist and a journalist were killed when a light aircraft they were travelling in crashed near Mt Kenya.
Dr Anthony King was piloting the plane when it came down.
Also killed in the mishap was a Canadian journalist who was the only passenger on board.
Mt Kenya national park senior warden Simon Gitau said the aircraft, which was owned by the Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF), crashed on Sunday afternoon about 14,500 feet above sea level near Lake Michaelson.
The aircraft had been reported missing before it was traced near the mountain lake where a similar accident occurred in 1976.
The proprietor of Tropic Air Jammie Roberts, who worked closely with Dr King, said the accident could have been caused by strong winds.
“The two-seater plane was mechanically okay when it left for the mountain,” he said.
Dr King once served as the LWF executive director and was recently involved in the development of a wildlife conservation strategy for the county.
Dircector John Driftmier
Ecologist Dr Anthony King and his Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat 5Y-LWF (involved in the crash)
