Airmedic helicopter crash in northeastern Quebec leaves 4 missing
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
CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
Sask. family turns hateful graffiti into positive LGBTQ2S+ message
Regina Watch WATCH: A family in Yorkton, Sask. turned a targeted, hateful attack into a powerful message for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Fruzsina De Cloedt reports.
CBC
25 minutes ago
- CBC
'We can do better': Indigenous people overrepresented in B.C. police watchdog cases
The head of British Columbia's police watchdog says Indigenous people remain overrepresented in its investigations of incidents involving officers in which someone is seriously injured or killed. Jessica Berglund, chief civilian director of the Independent Investigations Office, said in a report that about six per cent of B.C.'s population identify as Indigenous, yet 18 per cent of those involved in IIO investigations were Indigenous. Berglund said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Thursday that she thinks there may be additional cases involving Indigenous people that her office is not aware of because citizens could feel uncomfortable coming forward. In those situations, they rely on local organizations working in communities to help bridge the gap, she said. "We have already had at least one case in the last several months where someone in a community approached the First Nations Justice Council office in that community and received assistance from them to bring that file to our attention," she said. "Because it is intimidating and can be off-putting to reach out to us directly, because we are another investigative agency." The independent civilian-led police oversight agency was created in 2012 following recommendations from multiple commissions, including one into the 1998 death of Frank Paul, an Indigenous man who was released from Vancouver police custody into an alleyway where he died of hypothermia. Berglund said overrepresentation of Indigenous people in police interactions has been evident since data tracking began five years ago. The annual report noted that Indigenous people represented almost 29 per cent of affected persons involved in firearm files. Berglund said her office is working to improve accessibility and responsiveness and is exploring new ways to make it more approachable to Indigenous communities. "I believe the IIO has a very important role when we do our investigations to ensure that we are conducting those investigations in both a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed manner," she said. "So, what we are trying to improve constantly is to increase the knowledge and cultural sensitivity of our people when they deal with witnesses or affected persons or even the communities where those affected persons come from." Berglund said there are police agencies taking steps to reduce the number of cases involving Indigenous people, but more needs to be done. "I believe that police can do better. We can do better. Provincial government can do better. The community can do better," she said. Report raises 'bigger questions' about mental health calls Last month, Berglund released a report highlighting what she called "bigger questions" about the approach police officers take when engaging with a person suffering from a mental health crisis, especially if that person is Indigenous. Following a case involving a man who died by suicide in Williams Lake, B.C., Berglund said it should be considered that a heavy police presence, including police in military equipment and armoured vehicles, may escalate the situation for someone in a mental health crisis. Berglund concluded the officers were acting based on their training, but referred the file to the RCMP Civilian Review and Complaints Commission to assess whether changes to policy or training are necessary. Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) Chief Willie Sellars confirmed the man who died that day in 2022 was a member of the WLFN. "He was a good friend, he was a family man, and we felt that [if the situation had] been handled differently, he would still be here today," Sellars told CBC News. While police were cleared of criminal wrongdoing, he said he wants to see police held accountable for their actions. "At the end of the day, you know, the safety of our community is of utmost importance. Having a working relationship with the RCMP is a part of that, and we understand that, too. But that relationship has to result in change in the way they carry about within the territory, and we have to hold them accountable at the same time."
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Tipi stolen from site along Trans Canada Highway
A tipi was stolen from a site by the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday night west of Calgary. An investigation is underway after a tipi was stolen Wednesday night off the Trans Canada Highway. Bearspaw First Nation posted the news on its Facebook page Thursday. 'Unfortunately between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. yesterday August 13 some person(s) removed and took one of our four Tipi Canvasses along the Trans Canada just west of Calaway Park,' they wrote. Stolen tipi, Aug. 14, 2025 Bearspaw First Nation are investigating after a tipi was stolen from a site west of Calgary on Wednesday, Aug. 13. (Photo: Facebook/Bearspaw First Nation) 'The Bearspaw First Nation is asking for the return of the canvas. Any tips on who took it can be made to Cochrane RCMP 403-932-2211, or contact Stoney Tribal Security Services at 403-881-2666. 'We will be taking down the remaining three tipis out of caution,' they added. 'Isniyes.'
