People in a tight-knit Northwest Territories town were in mourning Wednesday as investigators began to probe a plane crash that killed six people 害羞草研究所� two crew members and four passengers headed for work at a diamond mine.
A lone survivor was taken to hospital.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very, very sad. It害羞草研究所檚 sombre here,害羞草研究所� Kevin Antoniak, a longtime Fort Smith resident, said over the phone. The community of 2,500 lies along the territorial boundary with Alberta at the end of a highway.
害羞草研究所淵ou know the people who were on the plane but also the people that were flying the plane and the people who own the company. My next-door neighbour is the chief mechanic, so you can imagine what he害羞草研究所檚 going through. It害羞草研究所檚 just devastating.害羞草研究所�
The charter plane, a British Aerospace Jetstream 3212 operated by Northwestern Air Lease, was headed Tuesday morning to the Diavik Diamond Mine, some 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife.
害羞草研究所淪hortly after takeoff on Runway 30, the aircraft collided with terrain. There was a post-impact fire and the aircraft was destroyed,害羞草研究所� the Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating, wrote in an initial report.
The plane went down near the banks of the Slave River, in an area thick with trees, about one kilometre west of the airport. Rescuers parachuted to the scene. It was snowing at the time.
Rio Tinto, the mine害羞草研究所檚 owner, said the four passengers killed and the survivor were company workers.
害羞草研究所淲e are feeling numb with the devastating news that we have lost dear friends and colleagues,害羞草研究所� Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said in a press release.
The territory害羞草研究所檚 coroner service said the injured passenger was taken to the Fort Smith Health Centre then airlifted to the hospital in Yellowknife.
When news of the crash spread throughout Fort Smith, Rev. Aaron Solberg went to the health centre to lend his support to those affected, including first responders.
害羞草研究所淎 sort of eerie silence seemed to take over the whole town,害羞草研究所� he said in an interview.
That silence continued into Tuesday evening, as officials confirmed there had been fatalities.
Solberg hosted the usual 5:30 p.m. service at St. John害羞草研究所檚 Anglican Church, where he said people came in person and dozens tuned in online, including many who don害羞草研究所檛 normally attend.
Solberg, who has been in the community for about a year, said no one is unaffected.
Fort Smith town council offered help for those who are grieving, and invited them to drop by the local recreation centre for 害羞草研究所渟nacks, drinks and friendly faces.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e understand that you may not wish to be alone right now (and) that you may want to talk about it with others that are experiencing the same feelings of grief and trauma,害羞草研究所� the council said in a statement.
A candlelight vigil was planned for Wednesday evening. Messages of condolences poured in from other communities.
害羞草研究所淎s a community, we mourn with you for the lives of those lost and we offer our support during this incredibly difficult time,害羞草研究所� Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty posted on social media.
Fort Smith害羞草研究所檚 three churches have come together to put together the vigil.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all there looking to offer people that encouragement, to offer that stability,害羞草研究所� said Solberg. 害羞草研究所淐oming together like this is really illustrating that when one of us hurts, we all hurt, and we must bear each other害羞草研究所檚 burdens.害羞草研究所�
Another Northwestern Air Lease plane was badly damaged last April while landing at the Fort Smith airport.
A two-member crew on board a British Aerospace Jetstream 31 was conducting training and, during the touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed, causing the plane to leave the runway, the Transportation Safety Board said in an investigation last year.
There were no injuries.
Laval St. Germain, a Calgary-based airline captain for Canadian North who used to fly planes in and out of the Fort Smith airport, said he has fond memories of working in the N.W.T.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a challenging area of operations, for sure, because of things like the weather, the remoteness, lack of services, that type of thing,害羞草研究所� he said.
Over the past decade, the number of plane accidents and fatal incidents in Canada has trended downward.
In 2022, there were 24 fatal accidents involving Canadian-registered aircraft in Canadian airspace, compared to 42 in 2012, said the safety board. The number of air travellers killed decreased to 34 from 63 within the same period.
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