 |
|
|
|
|
  
|
'Those three people, they are miracles'
Team of 23 investigating crash of First Air flight 6560
Jeanne Gagnon Northern News Services Published Thursday, August 25, 2011
RCMP Sgt. Paul Solomon said 23-year-old Nicole Williamson told police that after things came to rest she heard Gabrielle Pelky, 7, crying. "(Williamson) was able to walk over to where the child was sitting on a rock. She then picked up the child and carried her to what they felt was a safer location from where they were," he said. RCMP Supt. Howard Eaton said Robin Wyllie, 48, was the most seriously injured of the three survivors, his chest crushed, while Williamson had an injured leg. Pelky, Williamson and Wyllie are in Ottawa-area hospitals for treatment. "I think those three people, they are miracles that they got out of that aircraft," he said. "Two of them were walking when the rescuers got there. That's an unbelievable story when you think about the impact and how much death and destruction was around them. They got through some incredible damage and turmoil to be able to survive that impact." Eight passengers and four crew were killed in the crash: Marty Bergmann, director of the Polar Continental Shelf Program; Cheyenne Eckalook, 6; Steve Girouard, Lise Lamoureux, and Raymond Pitre, all of New Brunswick, Randolph Reid, cook at the South Camp Inn; Michael Rideout, 65, and Chesley Tibbo, 49, of Newfoundland; purser Ann Marie Chassie, 42; first officer David Hare, 35; flight attendant Ute Merritt, 55, all of Yellowknife; and pilot Blair Rutherford, 48, of Leduc, Alta. A team of 23 people from a wide spectrum of specialties are in Resolute investigating the crash, said Transportation Safety Board lead investigator Brian MacDonald. He added they expect to be about in Resolute for about two weeks. TSB investigators have recovered the cockpit voice and flight data recorders and sent them to Ottawa on Aug. 21 for analysis. The quality of the data recovered from the recorders will determine the degree or scale of the salvage process. "At this time, it looks like we have reasonable data there. Hopefully, it will allow us to gain some insight into the circumstances and last moments of the flight," he said. "If the recorders indicate the engines are working correctly, then we might not decide to bring back the engines back for inspection. So that's how the flight recorder can help change the scale of the salvage operation," he said. "We don't know enough at this point to determine how much or how little we will have to bring back to our labs for analysis." The victims' bodies have been removed from the crash site to a temporary morgue in Resolute, where confirmation of the victims' identities will begin, stated the RCMP in a press release. It added the bodies will be transported to Ottawa General Hospital for autopsy before they are released to the families. The plane was chartered by South Camp Inn. Eckalook, 6, who died in the crash, and Pelky, who survived, are granddaughters of the inn's owner Aziz Kheraj. Kheraj would not comment. Resolute Mayor Tabitha Mullin said the hamlet of 229 had held services and prayers, and was receiving many offers of help from other communities. She added that a bishop and minister are coming up at some point for a memorial service. "We're coping with it, trying to deal with the tragedy," she said. "With dignitaries coming in, giving us some support and their prayers, they helped a lot. I would like to thank everyone that did come in and are calling in and saying although they cannot be here, they support and pray for us at this time." Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Resolute Aug. 23 as part of his Arctic Tour, meeting community members and first responders involved in the rescue and recovery efforts, along with Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq and Premier Eva Aariak. Solomon said Canadian Rangers are assisting investigators at the scene, helping to keep predators out of the area. "We've had a couple of polar bears come around and the (Canadian) Rangers have been excellent," said Solomon. "They've managed to deter the polar bears because on the plane, there was a significant amount of food supplies in cargo, so that's drawing the animals into the area. " Solomon said they are currently surveying the site to identify what they find in preparation for a grid search to help recover the personal belongings of the victims and survivors. "(During) the grid search, they identifies pieces, items that were part of the structure of the plane, whether it be engine parts, fuselage, internal components, anything like that," he said. "The other side of it is they also identify the personal belongings of the victims and the survivors of the crash. Anything that is pertinent to the investigation, obviously they will document and seize and maintain control of." He added personal belongings will be returned to the survivors or next of kin.
|
