Northwestern Air Lease plane crashes near Fort Smith; fatalities reported. Investigation underway by Canadian safety board. (Live Mint)
In a tragic incident, a chartered plane belonging to Northwestern Air Lease crashed in the vicinity of Fort Smith, located in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada, as reported by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) on Tuesday.
Reports from various media outlets indicate that the crash resulted in fatalities among the passengers on board. The Northwest Territories Coroner’s Service, responsible for such incidents in the region, confirmed the presence of casualties from the plane crash near the community of Fort Smith on Tuesday. However, specific details, including the number of casualties, were not disclosed, with the Coroner’s Service expressing the need to notify the next of kin before releasing further information.
The plane involved in the crash is identified as a British Aerospace Jetstream registered to Northwestern Air Lease. At present, there is no official confirmation regarding the number of individuals on board the aircraft. Northwestern Air Lease's website mentions that the airline operates two planes in its fleet capable of accommodating up to 19 passengers.
The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority in Fort Smith promptly activated its mass casualty protocol in response to the morning crash, indicating the severity of the situation.
Fort Smith, the town closest to the crash site, is situated approximately 1,300 miles northeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, near the border between Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has initiated an investigation into the incident, dispatching investigators to the Northwest Territories to determine the circumstances surrounding the plane crash.
Following the loss of contact shortly after takeoff near Fort Smith, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton confirmed the involvement of the military in response to the incident. The Air Force, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canadian Rangers collaborated in search-and-rescue efforts, as mentioned by David Lavallee, a public affairs officer with Search and Rescue Region Trenton. Aircraft, including a CC-130H Hercules from Calgary, Alberta, a CC-130J Hercules from Trenton, Ont., and a Twin Otter from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, were deployed in the search operation.
Lavallee disclosed that Canadian Rangers successfully located the crashed aircraft near the Slave River, and search-and-rescue personnel parachuted into the site to assess the situation. The collaborative efforts involving multiple agencies underscore the comprehensive response to the tragic incident.
