Manitoba, Canada: Four people are dead and a young pilot is seriously injured after a float plane crashed in a remote area roughly 40 kilometres south of St. Theresa Point First Nation, Manitoba, on Saturday evening.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said the single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver went down near Makepeace Lake while carrying five people. All four passengers, two men aged 53 and 49 and two women who both were 50 were residents of St. Theresa Point First Nation and died at the scene.
The 20-year-old pilot, the sole survivor, sustained serious injuries but is expected to recover. Authorities confirmed he was airlifted to hospital after being located by rescue teams in difficult nighttime conditions.
The crash site was located after RCMP received an alert from an iPhone satellite crash-detection system. Due to the fly-in nature of the community, officers chartered a helicopter to reach the scene. The lone RCMP officer was dropped about 500 metres away because of darkness and rough terrain and had to hike to the wreckage.
Search and rescue technicians from CFB Trenton were parachuted in to assist, providing medical support and helping stabilize the survivor until evacuation was possible.
“This was an extremely challenging operation because of the remote location, darkness, and limited access,” RCMP spokespersons said in a statement, adding that the collaboration between emergency services was critical in saving the pilot’s life.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has confirmed it is gathering information about the crash to determine whether a full investigation will be launched. The cause of the accident has not yet been established.
St. Theresa Point Chief and Council have not yet released a statement but community members are mourning the loss of four residents in what is being described as a devastating blow to the First Nation.
In a statement on Facebook, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs sent condolences to the families of the victims, and to their community. “We grieve with you. The loss of community members in such a sudden and devastating way is felt across all our Nations. In this time of heartbreak, we stand with St. Theresa Point, holding up the families and community in prayer, love, and strength,” the post said.
Authorities said updates will be provided as more information becomes available regarding the cause of the crash and the identities of those killed.
