Some people are killed in a plane accident in Canada’s Northwest Territories

Several people were killed when a tiny aircraft carrying Rio Tinto employees crashed on Tuesday while traveling to the company’s Diavik diamond mine near Fort Smith in Canada’s isolated Northwest Territories.

The registered owner, Northwestern Air Lease, said on its website that it had two kinds of BAE Jetstreams in its fleet, both of which can accommodate 19 passengers. However, there were no information provided about the number of individuals on board or the number of deaths.
In a statement, Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm acknowledged that the accident had destroyed the firm.
Stausholm said, “We are closely collaborating with the authorities and will assist them in any manner we can to determine the precise cause of the incident.”
The premier of the Northwest Territories released a statement expressing condolences for the deceased, but Northwestern Air Lease did not react to demands for comment.
“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,” Premier R.J. Simpson said.
Garth Eggenberger, the chief coroner for the Northwest Territories, acknowledged that there were deaths, but he said that no further details would be released until the next of kin were informed.
Requests for response from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were not immediately answered.
At around 8:50 a.m. (1550 GMT), the Fort Smith Health Centre reported that, in response to “an aviation incident near the community,” it triggered its mass casualty procedure to free up resources for reaction.
Maxime Cliche, a public relations officer of the Canadian Armed Forces, said that three squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force assisted in the search and rescue operation for the aircraft, which was discovered close to the Slave River after it lost communication soon after takeoff near Fort Smith.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada announced that a team of investigators has been sent to investigate the incident involving a BAE Jetstream aircraft and that it is currently collecting data.
The incident occurs one day after a helicopter disaster in nearby British Columbia left three people dead and four critically wounded.