One man is dead and the other is in hospital after the float plane they were in crashed at the base of Pitt Lake Monday afternoon.

Police confirm that the pilot of the Cessna 172 float plane that crashed yesterday succumbed to his injuries.

“Dead is a 71-year-old Surrey, B.C. man. His 55 year old male passenger was taken to hospital with what is believed to be non-life threatening injuries,” said Ridge Meadows RCMP Cpl. Alanna Dunlop.

The survivor was able to get out of the submerged plane and was rescued by nearby boaters.

Air Ambulance transported him to hospital at around 5:30 p.m.

Capt. Erik Niemi of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it appears the two men were on a training flight from Pitt Meadows Airport.

The body of the second person had to be removed from the wreckage by search-and-rescue technicians during the early evening.

The crash is being investigated by Transport Canada, while the B.C. Corner’s Service will examine the death case, explained Dunlop.

Ridge Meadows RCMP, the Canadian Coast Guard, who supplied their hover craft and divers, the RCMP Dive team, Coquitlam RCMP, and the B.C. Ambulance Service all attended.

Name of the pilot is being withheld at this time.