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Fatal helicopter crash in McLure Strait Sea ice researcher, pilot and ship's commanding officer dead
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Updated: Monday, September 16, 2013
BANKS ISLAND
The weather was clear during a fatal helicopter crash in the Arctic Ocean says a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).
The helicopter that crashed in the McLure Strait off Banks Island on Aug. 9 departed from the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen. - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
Chris Krepski said the helicopter took off from the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen to collect information about sea ice on Sept. 9. At 5:45 MT, it crashed into the McLure Strait off Banks Island, killing all three on board.
Marc Thibault, commanding officer of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen, Daniel Dube, the helicopter's pilot, and Klaus Hochheim, an Arctic scientist with the University of Manitoba, all died in the crash, a press release from the Prime Ministers Office stated.
"The courage and dedication of these three brave individuals will be honoured and remembered," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in the release.
Last week, Krepski said the helicopter is still underwater and the TSB is making arrangements with the Canadian Coast Guard bring it to the surface.
"We, in conjunction with the Coast Guard, are making plans to recover the aircraft as soon as possible," he said.
The TSB will investigate the crash.
According to the ship's schedule, it left its home port of Quebec City on July 26 for an 82-day journey to the Arctic as part of a marine-based research program.
The ship first travelled to Resolute and was scheduled to leave the community on Sept. 5, when it was to head out to the Beaufort Sea and Kugluktuk until Oct. 1. It was then scheduled to head back to Quebec City on Oct. 2.
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