Pilot in Little Grand Rapids plane crash described as ‘very experienced’

The pilot involved in a plane crash near Little Grand Rapids, Man. has been identified.

Blue Water Aviation confirmed 39-year-old Jonathan Friesen was flying the private charter which crashed Saturday morning.

Friesen is described as a “very experienced” pilot, with more than 9,000 flight hours.

The single-engine de Havilland Otter float plane took off from Bissett, Man., at around 8 a.m. Saturday.

Friesen and two passengers were on board.  The RCMP recovered the body of one of the passengers, a 49-year-old man, on Sunday, but the search continues for the other two.

READ MORE: RCMP divers find one body from plane crash

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“When we received word of the incident, we dispatched a helicopter to aid the RCMP in the initial search and rescue, but unfortunately there were no survivors,” Blue Water Aviation owners Ed and Steve Gaffray said in a statement.

Friesen leaves behind a wife and two children.

Blue Water said it is at the end of their flying season and has no further flights scheduled in the fall.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada continues to investigate.

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