Six dead, one survivor following plane crash in Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories Coroner Service says six people were killed when a plane crashed en route to a diamond mine in the territory yesterday.
Four passengers and two Northwestern Air Lease crew members were killed when the plane crashed on the way to the Diavik Diamond Mine, with one survivor being taken to the Fort Smith Medical Centre before being medevaced to a hospital in Yellowknife.
All next-of-kin notifications have been completed by RCMP, states the news release.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed it sent a team of investigators to the crash site after a BAE Jetstream aircraft registered to Northwestern Air Lease went down early Tuesday.
The airline offers scheduled and chartered flights between Alberta and the Northwest Territories and is the main operator out of Fort Smith’s airport.
On Tuesday, the mining firm Rio Tinto said a number of its staff were on the plane and that it was headed to the Diavik Diamond Mine, about 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife.
“I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy,” said Rio Tinto Chief Executive, Jakob Stausholm in a news release.
Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson also expressed his condolences to the families and friends of those lost in the crash.
“It is with a heavy heart that I express my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were aboard the Northwestern Air flight that crashed outside of Fort Smith today,” he said in a statement.
“The impact of this incident is felt across the territory. The people we lost were not just passengers on a flight; they were neighbours, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. Their stories and contributions to our communities will not be forgotten.”
With files from Claire Fenton
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