News overview: a BC plane hijacker expresses remorse, a mining company confirms the deaths of abducted workers in Mexico, and a look back at British Columbia’s decade-long fight against the overdose epidemic.
BC plane hijacker: “I am very sorry”
In a rare jailhouse interview, the man who carried out an aircraft hijacking in Canada expressed deep remorse. His remarks shed light on the desperate mental state that led to a dangerous incident that shook the aviation community and prompted a large-scale interception operation.
In an exclusive conversation with CTV News from prison, as reported in the CTV News piece, the man, whose name was not disclosed, repeats apologies: “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.” The incident took place in British Columbia when an individual with no piloting skills managed to take control of a small aircraft, triggering an emergency interception by Royal Canadian Air Force fighters and a safe landing. In the interview he describes his state that day as a “fog,” explaining his actions not as an intent to harm others but as the result of a profound personal crisis and despair. He insists he had no plans of terrorism or violence toward others and was consumed by painful thoughts about himself. Crucially, he acknowledges no malicious intent toward anyone else — which nonetheless does not negate the extreme danger his actions posed to public safety. The case raises sharp questions about mental health, access to vulnerable infrastructure, and how the justice system should respond to crimes committed amid obvious psychological breakdown. The incident prompted security reviews at regional airports. The hijacker’s words of apology, while they cannot undo what happened, may become part of his path toward accountability and, he hopes, understanding from the public he put at risk.
Tragedy in Mexico: nine of the ten abducted mining workers confirmed dead
In a shocking development that highlights the risks international companies can face in some regions, a Canadian mining company has confirmed the deaths of the majority of its employees who were kidnapped in Mexico earlier this year. The tragedy has left deep wounds for families and colleagues and refocused attention on safety in the industry.
Vancouver-based explorer and developer Vizsla Silver released heartrending news: nine of the ten workers forcibly taken from a project in Mexico in January are now confirmed dead. As stated in the company’s press release, one employee remains missing. CEO Michael Connert expressed profound condolences, called the outcome devastating, and pledged continued support for the affected families. The company also said it is cooperating with authorities in an ongoing investigation.
The incident occurred at the Panuco project in the state of Sinaloa, near the city of Mazatlán, where Vizsla Silver is developing a silver-gold deposit. Sinaloa is infamous as a region where powerful drug cartels operate, often leading to violence and kidnappings. The company initially reported the abduction of ten people on Jan. 28. By Feb. 9, families reported that several workers had been found dead. By Feb. 12, five remained unaccounted for. In early March, tragic news arrived that two more had died, leaving three in unknown circumstances. A statement on April 6 confirmed worst fears: nine people have now died.
This tragedy highlights several critical aspects. First, the human cost: dozens of families have lost loved ones, and the company has lost colleagues and friends. Second, the severe operational risk for international businesses operating in unstable regions. Mining firms frequently must work in remote and sometimes dangerous areas where state control may be weakened. For context: Mexico’s drug cartels are powerful and brutal criminal organizations involved in illegal drug trafficking and other criminal activities. Their conflicts over territory and influence often lead to violence against local communities and, as this case shows, can affect foreign workers.
The repercussions of this incident are likely to be multifaceted. For Vizsla Silver it is not only a humanitarian catastrophe but also a reputational blow and a potential impediment to ongoing operations. The company may need to fundamentally reassess security protocols at its sites. More broadly, the tragedy may prompt other Canadian and international firms operating in Mexico or similar regions to thoroughly reevaluate their risks. It also raises pressing questions for both governments — Canada’s and Mexico’s — about protecting citizens and company employees and the need for closer cooperation on security and justice. This sad story stands as a grim reminder of the real and tragic costs of global business activity amid instability.
A decade of crisis: a chronicle of British Columbia’s fight against the overdose epidemic
Overview: Ten years ago, in April 2016, the province of British Columbia declared a public health emergency after a sharp rise in drug overdose deaths. Over the decade the crisis has claimed more than 18,000 lives, moving through periods of relative improvement and new tragic surges, and pushed authorities to experiment with some of North America’s boldest approaches — from “safe supply” to decriminalization. Yet the chronicle shows the path to solutions has been extremely difficult, with unintended consequences and political challenges.
In April 2016, after a record number of deaths for the previous nine years was recorded in January (76), the province officially declared a crisis. In 2015 there were 474 deaths, a 30% increase over the prior year. The initial response was to create a task force of health experts, police and the public health agency to coordinate measures. Authorities announced plans to open supervised consumption sites and to limit access to equipment and substances used in fentanyl production — the powerful synthetic opioid that became a key driver of fatalities. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin. Its illegal addition to street drugs caused a sharp rise in fatal overdoses because users often don’t know it’s present or how strong it is.
By 2019 efforts seemed to be paying off: deaths fell 37% to 992 from a peak of 1,566 in 2018. But the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 wiped out that progress. Isolation, supply chain disruption and deteriorating mental health led to a catastrophic 79% increase in fatalities — to 1,775. It was then that British Columbia, as noted in the Times Colonist piece, took a radical step, becoming the first jurisdiction in North America to implement a “safe supply” policy. That policy allows physicians to prescribe pharmaceutical opioids and stimulants as alternatives to contaminated street drugs to protect people from the poisoned supply. Later, in September 2020, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry expanded the program to allow nurses to prescribe such medications as well.
The next major experiment was decriminalization. In May 2022, the federal Department of Health granted the province a temporary exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, allowing, from Jan. 31, 2023, adults to possess small amounts of specified drugs for personal use (up to 2.5 grams in total of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA) without the threat of criminal charges. The goal was to reduce stigma and ease access to help. However, 2023 became the deadliest year of the crisis — 2,590 deaths. Moreover, in early 2025 a large diversion scandal emerged: an internal health ministry document released by the opposition indicated that a “significant portion” of prescribed opioids was being resold and trafficked within and beyond the province. The investigation reportedly uncovered a scheme of “incentives” from pharmacies to patients, doctors and housing providers. In response, in February 2025 authorities tightened the program, introducing mandatory witnessed consumption — taking medications in the presence of health workers — to prevent diversion.
At the same time, decriminalization faced public pushback over drug use in public spaces. In May 2024 federal authorities narrowed the exemption significantly: it would now apply only to private residences, sanctioned supportive housing, and overdose prevention sites and medical clinics. And in January 2026 Health Minister Josie Osborne formally ended the experiment, saying the province would not renew its agreement with the federal government because the project “did not deliver the expected results” in improving access to care.
Meanwhile, authorities explored other routes. In November 2023 a group of death-review experts recommended an even more radical measure — making controlled substances available without a prescription — but the government immediately rejected the idea. In September 2024 plans were announced to boost supports for people with severe co-occurring mental illness and addiction, including measures for compelled treatment. And in June 2024 a chief scientific adviser on psychiatry and addictions, Dr. Danièle Vigo, was appointed to analyze data and best practices to develop new solutions.
The key insight of this ten-year chronicle is that even the most progressive measures, such as safe supply and decriminalization, confront enormous practical and social challenges — from drug diversion to public resistance. The crisis proved deeper than just illegal drugs; it is tightly intertwined with homelessness, mental health and social inequality. Despite bold initiatives, mortality remains shockingly high, pointing to the need for a more comprehensive, multifaceted approach that goes far beyond solely medical or legal measures.
