Fort Smith, Northwest Territories – A tragic plane crash occurred on Tuesday, resulting in fatalities and prompting a multi-agency response from authorities. The Northwest Territories coroner confirmed the crash but did not disclose the number of casualties.
Among the passengers were employees of Rio Tinto, a global mining company. Although the company did not confirm the number of its workers on the plane, it acknowledged the presence of fatalities. The aircraft was en route to a company diamond mine when the crash occurred.
In response to the incident, the Fort Smith Health Centre implemented its mass casualty protocol. Additionally, the Royal Canadian Mounted Patrol, the Canadian Rangers, and the Royal Canadian Air Force were all involved in the emergency response efforts.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has launched an investigation into the crash. The aircraft involved was a British Aerospace Jetstream registered to Northwestern Air Lease, which has a capacity of up to 19 passengers.
RJ Simpson, the Premier of the Northwest Territories, expressed condolences to the families and friends of those on board the plane. He emphasized the impact of the loss on the entire community and encouraged affected residents to seek available mental health resources.
On the day of the incident, poor visibility was reported in the early hours, but it improved later in the morning. Ground searches were conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Rangers.
The details surrounding the crash are still under investigation, and the authorities are working to provide support to those affected by the tragedy.