Six individuals lost their lives on Tuesday when a small commuter plane, en route to Rio Tinto’s Diavik mine in Canada’s frigid far north, crashed shortly after takeoff.
The Australian mining giant confirmed the tragic incident, stating that the plane, carrying several of their employees, crashed with fatal consequences.
An anonymous aviation source revealed that, against the odds, one person managed to survive the crash.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario reported that contact with the plane was lost around 8:50 am local time after departing from Fort Smith, located 320 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of the regional capital, Yellowknife.
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The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered by Canadian Rangers on snowmobiles, with search and rescue technicians parachuting into the scene for assistance.
The Jetstream twin turboprop airliner, operated by Northwestern Air, crashed approximately 1.1 kilometers (0.7 miles) from the end of the runway.
Consequently, all flights from Fort Smith have been grounded until Wednesday.
In response to the tragic incident, Canada’s Transportation Safety Board dispatched a team to investigate the crash.
Rio Tinto’s chief executive, Jakob Stausholm, expressed the company’s deepest sympathy to the families, friends, and loved ones of those affected.
Stausholm stated, “As a company, we are profoundly affected by this news and are providing our unwavering support to our employees and the community, who are currently grieving.”
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