Emergency services responded to a fatal helicopter crash in Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville on Saturday afternoon, leaving four people dead. The wreckage caught fire upon impact, and local police have confirmed that an official investigation into the crash is now underway.
Emergency response and site details
Emergency services were called to the small town of Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville, located approximately 50km (31 miles) from Montreal, shortly after 14:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Saturday afternoon. The response followed an emergency call notifying police of a helicopter in distress that may have crashed and caught fire.
Upon arrival at the scene, responders found the aircraft on fire. According to Sgt Audrey-Anne Bilodeau, the aircraft appeared to be a private helicopter. The occupants were declared dead at the scene. While the fire at the site had been brought under control within an hour of the initial distress call, officials were still actively working at the crash site just before 22:00 local time.
The crash site has been identified by Sgt Bilodeau as being located near the Rang des Écossais road, situated off Highway 10.
Investigation into the cause
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is currently being led by the Major Crime Unit of the Sûreté du Québec. This intensive effort includes the deployment of crime scene technicians to the site to process evidence from the wreckage.
Working alongside the provincial police, investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are also involved in the probe to determine the cause of the accident. The multi-agency investigation aims to piece together the events leading up to the distress call and the subsequent impact.
Victim identification process
Four people have died in the accident, though their identities have not yet been released to the public. Sgt Audrey-Anne Bilodeau indicated that the formal process of identifying the victims is a complex task and may "take a few days."