A coroner’s inquest has been ordered for the four men who died in a Hydro One helicopter crash in December 2017.
Hydro One employees James Baragar, 39, Jeffrey Howes, 26, Darcy Jansen, 26 and Kyle Shorrock, 27, died from their injuries when the helicopter they were in crashed while en route to a staging area near Tweed, Ont., on Dec. 14, 2017.
Baragar was a company pilot while the other men worked as linemen, Hydro One stated.
An investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada determined that an improperly secured tool bag hit the rear rotor of the helicopter before it crashed, and that two of the three passengers’ seatbelts were undone.
On Thursday, Dr. Paul Dungey, regional supervising coroner for east region in Kingston, announced the inquest into the men’s deaths. An inquest is mandatory under the Coroner’s Act.
Dungey said the inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding their deaths. A jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.
Dr. David Eden will preside as inquest coroner with Jai Dhar as counsel. A date and location for the inquest has yet to be determined.