FOX CREEK, AB. – Around 10 pm Sunday, RCMP received a call about a downed helicopter near Fox Creek. RCMP, Fox Creek Fire Department and the department of National Defence conducted a ground and air search.
About seven hours later, officials discovered the wreckage in a very large wooded area north of the Berland River and south of the Alberta News Print Company (ANC) haul road.
The lone pilot had not survived the crash.
His name and the company he was working for is not being released at this time, as next of kin is being notified.
Monday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSBC) deployed a team of investigators to the site of crash.
According to the TSBC, the crash involved a Robinson R-44 helicopter.
The team is gathering information about the circumstances leading up to the crash.
Global News has been in contact with the Charter company that owned the aircraft.
The company is preparing a statement to be released later Monday afternoon.
The Transportation Safety board has been contacted and is attended the scene of the crash.
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Tuesday afternoon, the company, Gemini Helicopters, issued the following statement:
“In the evening of January 27, 2013 Gemini was alerted of an overdue helicopter with a last known location approximately 77 kilometers southwest of Fox Creek.
The Emergency Response Plan was activated mobilizing internal and external resources. A search was conducted jointly with the RCMP, Search & Rescue, our employees and helpful industry partners resulting in the location of the downed aircraft and the pilot.
The pilot, who was the lone occupant, had fatal injuries. The Transportation Safety Board is now investigating and additional information will come through their investigation.
We want to thank all who searched diligently throughout the night and we appreciate patience while the next of kin are being notified. Above all, we cannot begin to describe the sorrow and grief we share with the family, friends and colleagues of our pilot.”
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