Airmedic helicopter crash in northeastern Quebec leaves 4 missing
Quebec provincial police launched a search operation Saturday after a helicopter crash in northeastern Quebec that left four people unaccounted for.
They said the aircraft operated by Airmedic was involved in an accident around 10:30 p.m. on Friday near Natashquan, Que., a little more than 1,000 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
Police planned to comb a wooded area in the region north of the community in the province's Côte-Nord region.
Sgt. Élizabeth Marquis-Guy said five people were aboard the chopper, but one woman was rescued and reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries. She was taken to hospital.
The four others remained missing on Saturday morning.
Raphaele Bourgault, a spokesperson from the Longueuil, Que.-based air medical transport firm, confirmed the helicopter was part of the company fleet and said emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene.
'Airmedic staff are working closely with authorities and first responders to manage the situation and provide the necessary assistance,' Bourgault said in an emailed statement.
'Airmedic will release further information as soon as it is confirmed.'
Bourgault said the company's thoughts and concerns are with those affected by the crash.
Airmedic specializes in air medical transport and operates both planes and helicopters as part of its fleet. It is a private company that offers its services across Canada.
A command post was set up and search specialists are on site and are capable of searching on the water as well as by ground and in the air.
The Canadian Armed Forces have also been called for assistance, police said.
Provincial police say the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been informed of the crash and will conduct an investigation to determine the circumstances behind it.
Police investigators will collaborate in that probe, Marquis-Guy said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
4 hours ago
- CBC
Police warn 'heartbreaking' distraction thefts could rise in the summer
Social Sharing Police in the Lower Mainland are warning the longer, brighter days of summer mean distraction thefts, in which robbers quickly try to confuse victims while stealing from them, are expected to increase. Jewelry, valuables and money are often stolen in the thefts, which have been a problem for years, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). Richard Jeha, a hairstylist and owner of Richard Jeha Salon, said he was robbed of treasured jewelry — a bracelet from a loved one and a cross on a gold chain — that he was wearing, while walking his dog in Vancouver's Kerrisdale neighbourhood earlier this month. Jeha said it was still light out when he was approached by a woman offering him a strange-looking ring. She proceeded to ask him for the bracelet he was wearing. It was a gift from a loved one in Lebanon, Jeha told CBC's On the Coast. The woman said her husband, waiting in a nearby car with a small child, would pay for Jeha's bracelet. "I said, 'No, no, no, I don't want any of that.' ... Anyway, she came from behind me, grabbed my elbow and pushed it into his window." The man in the vehicle grabbed Jeha's hand, which the woman was holding, and slid his hand under the bracelet. "He put his finger and just yanked it off me," Jeha said. The man also stole Jeha's cross necklace, which he had had since he was five years old. Jeha tried to yell at the couple, but to no avail. "It wasn't more than a minute or so that she's in the car, and they took off." Two boys helped Jeha call 911 after the incident. Police concerned about distraction thefts The VPD said the incident is very similar to other distraction thefts, however sometimes people aren't even aware they're being robbed. "This has been going on for years and years and years. It's a very sophisticated group that's doing this," Const. Tania Visintin said. About 70 cases of distraction theft have been reported to VPD since the beginning of the year, according to Visintin. She said distraction thefts commonly occur in residential areas; the south and southeast parts of Vancouver are particular hotspots for this type of crime, possibly because there are more homes. Visintin said a common strategy the robbers use is to approach a victim with a sob story. She noted they can come up to victims in yards or even on porches or patios. "It's not just one group; it's several groups, so it does make catching them very difficult for us. But because there's such an increase right now, we're doing a lot of work, especially behind the scenes, a lot of covert things that I can't unfortunately speak about," Visintin said. "We're taking this as a priority because these are innocent people that are getting targeted, and it's very heartbreaking to see." Police in other Lower Mainland cities have also sent out warnings about distraction thefts. Burnaby RCMP said three thefts in recent weeks have resulted in two victims losing family heirlooms. In March, Surrey Police Service noted there had been more than a dozen incidents of distraction theft in the first three months of the year. If you are approached by a stranger and feel uncomfortable, police recommend yelling and making noise to try attract the attention of others nearby. Jeha said he wished he would have not visibly worn his cross over his shirt. "That was something, a well-learned lesson."
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Two motorcyclists suffer life-threatening injuries after head-on crash near Cornwall
An Ontario Provincial Police crest is pictured on an officer's uniform. (Supplied) Two people on a motorcycle were taken to hospital with injuries described as life-threatening after a head-on crash near Cornwall. Ontario Provincial Police say the crash happened on County Road 18 near Chapel Road, about 100 kilometres southeast of downtown Ottawa at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday. The collision involved the motorcycle and an SUV, OPP says in an email to CTV News Ottawa. Emergency responders, including Orgne Air ambulance, was called to the scene. Roads in the area remain closed as of Saturday evening and motorists can expect a 'lengthy' closure, police said in a news release. The public is asked to avoid the area as an investigation continues.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Hit-and-run in Caledon sends boy to hospital
An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle is pictured in this file image. (File Photo/Ontario Provincial Police | Photo Credit: Bobb Barratt) A boy is in the hospital after a hit-and-run in Caledon Saturday afternoon. Ontario Provincial Police say they got a call at 2 p.m. for a collision in the area of Mayfield Road and Petch Avenue, west of McLaughlin Road. A young male riding a motorized scooter was struck by a westbound vehicle, OPP say. He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. OPP say the driver did not remain at the scene. No description of the suspect vehicle has been released. They are asking anyone with information to call 905-584-2241 or 1-888-310-1122.
