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Indian Express
12 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Indian national killed in plane crash in Canada
An Indian national was killed after a small plane crashed near the airport in Newfoundland, Canada at around 5:30 pm local time on Saturday. The town, located in western Newfoundland, has a population of about 5,000. The Indian Consulate General in Toronto on Tuesday confirmed that Indian national Gautam Santhosh was killed in the crash. 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time. The Consulate is in close contact with the bereaved family and local authorities in Canada to provide all necessary assistance and support,' the mission wrote on X. With deep sorrow, we mourn the tragic passing of Mr. Gautam Santhosh, an Indian national, who lost his life in an accident involving a commercial survey aircraft near Deer Lake, Newfoundland. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time. The… — IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) July 28, 2025 Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) also confirmed the fatal crash to a CBC reporter at the scene, where first responders were also present. The plane belonged to BC-based Kisik Geospatial and Aerial Survey. Its owner and accountable executive, Andrew Naysmith, confirmed the fatality in a statement. 'We are devastated and heartbroken by this loss,' he said, CBC reported. 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the families of the deceased and their loved ones.' The aircraft was a Piper Navajo, a twin-engine plane that can carry up to eight passengers. It remains unclear how many people were on board at the time. Naysmith said the names of the deceased would be released by authorities and added that the company will support the investigation and the families 'in any and every way possible.' The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has launched an investigation.
Hans India
15 hours ago
- General
- Hans India
Indian national killed in small plane crash in Canada's Newfoundland
Canada: One Indian national was killed in an air mishap involving a commercial survey aircraft in Canada's Newfoundland, the Consulate General of India in Toronto said in a statement on Tuesday. A small plane crashed near an airport in Canada's Deer Lake in Newfoundland on the evening of July 26, according to local media reports. In this accident, an Indian national, Gautam Santhosh, was killed, the Indian Consulate General in Toronto said on Tuesday. The Indian mission also offered its condolences and assured to provide all the support and assistance to the family of the deceased. Taking to X, the Consulate General wrote, "We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time. The Consulate is in close contact with the bereaved family and local authorities in Canada to provide all necessary assistance and support." Santhosh, originally from Kerala, was employed by the Delta, British Columbia-headquartered Kisik Aerial Survey Inc., which operated the Piper PA-31 Navajo aircraft. Earlier, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that two people were onboard the aircraft when the crash occurred, and both were declared dead on the scene. The owner of the British Columbia-based company, Kisik Geospatial and Aerial Survey, Andrew Naysmith, following the mishap, said, "We are devastated and heartbroken by this loss." "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the families of the deceased and their loved ones," he added. The aircraft involved in the crash was reportedly a 'Piper Navajo twin-engine plane', which can hold up to eight passengers at once. It was, however, reported that Naysmith denied the release of any names involved in the crash immediately, saying that the information regarding the same will only be provided by the authorities in charge. Investigations were undertaken by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). Followed by the crash, Naysmith said that the company will "provide support in any and every way possible."
Montreal Gazette
4 days ago
- Montreal Gazette
Facing the void those gone missing leave behind
By In the days after 37-year-old Mathieu Therrien-Meunier went missing in the winter of 2024, presumably while hiking in the Laurentian mountains, his mother went into problem-solving mode. It was the middle of February, and the weekend had been marked by particularly cold weather and a heavy snowstorm. Nicole Meunier retraced her son's favourite trails, helped police in search efforts by snowmobile and horseback, and co-ordinated with local hikers eager to help. But as the weeks passed and searches yielded few clues, the reality of what she faced began to sink in. 'At first it's a crisis, it's all panic and searching,' Meunier, 64, said in a recent interview from her home in Ste-Adèle. 'But when that shock wears off, you fall into a void. And then you have no one to turn to.' According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, more than 10,000 disappearances were reported across Quebec in 2024. While most cases are solved within a week, many remain unsolved, plunging the families left behind in a whirlwind of uncertainty. Despite the challenges they face, the families have few resources available to assist them through the process — a gap in services that often complicates their healing and prolongs their grief. A recent study is now urging the Quebec government to recognize the families' needs and provide them with the support it argues they desperately need. ———————————————————————————————————————— As a criminology student and researcher with the Association des familles de personnes assassinées ou disparues (AFPAD), Alexandre Benchaa knew how difficult it can be for families when a loved one goes missing. But it wasn't until he decided to study the issue last fall that he realized how much support is lacking. 'They are not recognized and have no access to services,' Benchaa said in a recent interview. Benchaa met with different stakeholders to better understand the matter, including eight families, notaries and an investigator from the Montreal police department's missing persons unit. The resulting study, produced in collaboration with the Justice Centre for Victims of Crime (CJVAC), spells out the broad needs of families, from practical legal advice to psychological support. It also details the financial strain the situation puts on loved ones, with parents often unable to return to work given the emotional weight of the search. The 67-page document presents over a dozen recommendations. Its main takeaway: that the Quebec government should officially recognize the families as victims. The study notes that victims of crime in Quebec, and their relatives in certain cases, are granted an official status which allows them to access financial assistance through the province's Indemnisation des victimes d'actes criminels plan (IVAC). It also grants them access to certain services, such as psychosocial support or administrative help, through the province's network of Crime Victims Assistance Centres (CAVAC). Meantime, the relatives of people who have been reported missing are not considered victims in the legal sense. The study argues this leaves the families of the missing in a 'grey zone' that deprives them of most of the financial and legal assistance offered by the state. 'It is completely paradoxical,' Benchaa said. 'When a person goes missing, sometimes it's an even more complicated form of grief because of how ambiguous it is.' ———————————————————————————————————————— Huguette Boisvert can't remember the exact details of what she did immediately after reporting her son missing last year, but has a clear memory of how helpless she felt in the aftermath. 'I felt completely abandoned,' Boisvert, 63, said from her home in Sherbrooke. Boisvert had noticed a change in her son, Jonathan B.-Bourgeois, in early 2024. Typically buoyant and easygoing, the 34-year-old had become withdrawn and began having what she describes as paranoid thoughts. One night that January, she awoke to a faint knock on her first-floor bedroom window. It was Jonathan, panicked and convinced that someone was following him. Boisvert spent the following day with him, but he left around dinner, assuring her that he was OK. When she couldn't get through to him the next day, she went to his apartment only to find he wasn't home. Police located his car on the side of a road outside the city a few days later. He left no other trace behind. After the initial searches were complete, Boisvert says police told her to contact a lawyer for guidance on what to do next. But she couldn't find one who could help. 'We were completely in the dark,' Boisvert said. 'I had to Google what to do, all while in distress and wondering where my son was.' Every next step was complicated, from trying to end Jonathan's lease with his landlord to eventually getting rid of his car with the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. Compounding it all was her grief. To this day, Boisvert said, she can't bring herself to enjoy anything without wondering what happened to her son, 'as if I'm not allowed to feel happiness.' On her worst nights, she's kept awake by the sound of him knocking on her window echoing in her mind. 'There needs to be something to make things easier for families,' she said. ———————————————————————————————————————— Besides the Missing Children's Network, which specializes in missing youths, the AFPAD is the only organization in Quebec dedicated to helping the families of people who go missing. It publishes guides for loved ones to understand the steps to take, accompanies families through the process and co-ordinates support groups. But it remains a non-profit with limited resources and, as the study points out, does not have the capacity to assist every family that needs help in the province. 'That's the reality we're facing,' Benchaa said, noting the organization also helps the families of homicide victims. Contacted for this article, a spokesperson for the Quebec Justice Department said it has received the study on families' needs and is analyzing its findings. The department pointed out that victims of criminal offences and their families can access certain services through the CAVAC network. It also noted that if it's determined a disappearance is the result of a criminal offence, relatives of the missing person may be eligible to obtain financial help through IVAC. While true, Benchaa pointed out that only a small percentage of disappearances in the province meet the criteria. And even if investigators suspect a criminal element, it can take years for the case to be officially classified as a crime — time during which families are left without support. ———————————————————————————————————————— Nearly a year and a half after Mathieu's disappearance, Meunier still has moments where it doesn't feel real. Then it hits her all at once. She remembers those first few months, after the snow had melted and the river thawed, police conducted more searches in the area. They used a helicopter to survey the land, but to no avail. Mathieu's missing person notice remains on the Sûreté du Québec's website today, but Meunier understands police no longer consider the case a priority. She has thought about dedicating her time to searching nearby mountains and woods herself, but realizes that wouldn't be healthy either. Almost every time she has dealt with a government agency since the disappearance, she said, she's received a similar response: a prolonged silence, followed by an employee telling her they don't know what to do. 'Every time you hear that, it's like a knife through the heart,' Meunier said. The ambiguity of the situation has added another layer of grief. There was never a funeral, because they have no confirmation of his death. Nor is there a tombstone or memorial for Meunier and her family to gather at when needed. On Mathieu's birthday, Meunier's two daughters surprised her by taking the day off. They went for a hike in the woods together and played songs that reminded them of him, crying as they walked. On the first anniversary of his disappearance, they marked the occasion by getting matching tattoos. Not in Mathieu's memory, because Meunier said that didn't feel right, but rather in his honour. She has slowly come to terms with the fact they may never know what happened. But that uncertainty is precisely why families have so many recurring needs, she said. 'Our lives are roller-coasters.' Follow More of Our Reporting on Montreal Missing Persons News News How volunteer sleuths from Rhode Island solved the disappearances of two Quebec men July 25, 2025 6:00 AM Latest News Vehicle found in river north of Montreal could be linked to missing-person case July 20, 2025 5:54 PM See all stories Related Stories from Montreal Gazette Quebec News Crime victims denounce Quebec reform that ends compensation after three years June 16, 2024 6:34 PM News Bruised by grief, strangers find camaraderie in the boxing ring January 18, 2025 6:00 AM Jesse Feith montrealgazette Jesse Feith is a general assignment reporter with The Gazette since 2014.
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Two men charged after police search illegal cannabis storefront in Eskasoni, N.S.
A sign for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is pictured on June 23, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Avery MacRae) RCMP charged two men after executing a search warrant and arresting three men in Eskasoni, N.S., Tuesday. Ashton Joseph Bernard, 35, and Hugh Paul, 26, both of Eskasoni, face charges related to the possession and sale of cannabis under the Cannabis Act, said a news release. The third man was released without charge after police determined he was not involved in operating the storefront. RCMP arrested three men and seized illegal cannabis, cash and unstamped tobacco after searching an illegal storefront on Crane Cove Road, said a news release. Bernard and Paul were released on an undertaking and are scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 2. The investigation is ongoing. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
'Incorrect information': RCMP commissioner challenges accuracy of Alberta Next policing survey
Stock photo of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) logo at K-Division headquarters in Edmonton. Photo by Larry Wong / Postmedia In a letter to Premier Danielle Smith earlier this month, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme questioned the accuracy of materials shared through the province's Alberta Next consultation regarding a provincial police service. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The three-page letter is dated July 16 and challenges assertions made in the preceding video, survey, and other Alberta Next material around bilingualism, policing priorities, and the role of federal policing. 'I would like to take this opportunity to clarify some incorrect information,' Duheme wrote, first disputing an assertion made in the video that the federal government sets provincial policing priorities. Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again 'The RCMP is, and has been, proud to deliver policing services that reflect the priorities and needs of communities across Alberta,' he wrote, referencing an article of the Provincial Police Service Agreements which he said leaves establishing the objectives, priorities, and goals up to the provincial minister. He also echoed earlier criticism from the National Police Federation, the union representing RCMP members, of a line in the video ahead of the Alberta Next survey that states, 'because of French-language requirements, English-speaking Alberta officers do not qualify for senior RCMP positions.' Last month, the NPF told Postmedia that claim was 'misinformation,' with Duheme writing that 'all commissioned officer positions in Alberta are designated as English essential and staffed accordingly. The office of Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis disputes that, stating that 'all deputy and assistant commissioner positions in Ottawa are designated bilingual, as are senior positions held by civilians within senior staff,' adding, 'the RCMP is wrong.' Smith used similar language when questioned about the RCMP's bilingualism requirements at last week's Alberta Next townhall in Edmonton. Duheme's letter also disputes the video's statement that officers can be moved 'on a moment's notice,' writing, 'the process to relocate a member includes careful planning to support them and their families should they choose to pursue another opportunity.' Finally, his letter objects to language used in a FAQ portion of the panel's website, which states the RCMP major crimes division would not need to be replaced in the event of a provincial police service, reading, ''K' division would still be doing the Federal Policing around investigative matters that meet their mandate like counter-terrorism and nationwide gang activity.'
