Four killed as private helicopter crashes and catches fire near Montreal
A private helicopter crashed and burst into flames in a field near Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville, about 50km south-east of Montreal, killing all four people on board, Quebec provincial police said.
Four people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed and caught fire in a field south-east of Montreal, Quebec provincial police have said.
The Sûreté du Québec said officers were called shortly after 2.30pm local time on Saturday after the aircraft went down near Rang des Écossais, off Highway 10, in the municipality of Sainte-Brigide-d’Iberville, about 50 kilometres south-east of Montreal.
All four occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, a police spokesperson said. The helicopter was already burning when first responders arrived, and crews brought the fire under control within about an hour.
The victims have not yet been identified, and police have not determined what caused the crash. Preliminary findings suggest the helicopter ran into difficulties shortly after take-off and came down a short distance from its departure point; police did not say where it had taken off from.
The Sûreté du Québec’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating the circumstances of the crash, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has sent investigators to the site.
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon offered his condolences on social media, saying Transport Canada was monitoring the situation and would appoint a minister’s observer to follow the investigation.
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