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A Vancouver Island Snowbirds pilot was not involved in the Snowbirds crash in Kamloops on Sunday, his family says.

Deborah Reid, mother of Capt. Logan Reid, said she received a message from her son shortly after the incident saying that he was OK.

One person died and another was seriously injured in the crash, which happened shortly after two planes took off from Kamloops about 11:30 a.m. The squadron was headed to Comox as part of the Operation Inspiration tour, meant to impart hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had been scheduled to fly over Vancouver Island on Monday.

Deborah Reid and Logan’s father, David Reid, heard about the crash on Twitter. David Reid had just finished setting up his account and news of a downed Snowbirds plane was one of the first tweets that popped up on his feed.

“You die a thousand deaths,” Deborah Reid said of the time spent waiting to find out if their son was flying the plane. “But, we’re the lucky ones, aren’t we? We can talk to our son tonight. That other family can’t. You feel their pain.”

She said she’s heartbroken for the family of the person killed and the pilot injured.

“My heart goes out to the team.”

A Defence source told The Canadian Press that Capt. Jenn Casey, a public affairs officer with the Canadian Forces, died in the incident.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that one member of the CF Snowbirds team has died and one has sustained serious injuries,” the Royal Canadian Air Force tweeted. “We can confirm that we have contacted all primary family members of those involved.”

The Snowbirds said the surviving victim’s injuries are not life-threatening.

Deborah Reid said she is looking forward to a call from her son tonight.

“It will be good to hear his voice tonight, that’s for sure,” she said.