A Montreal man is among the five victims of a plane crash in Haiti.
Paule Robitaille, a member of the Quebec Liberal Party, says she learned of the death of Gamaniel Valcin on Wednesday.
Her message was published after the announcement of the crash of a small plane in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
“Tonight I learned of the death of Gamaniel Valcin in a plane crash in Haiti. He was the father of Riley, who died on 25-12-21 at the Big Wheel,”
Robitaille posted on Twitter late Wednesday evening.
The plane was headed to the southern coastal city of Jacmel when it tried to land in the community of Carrefour and hit a truck transporting soda bottles.
The family held a press conference on Thursday at École Secondaire Henri-Bourassa in Montreal North. The same place they were just one week ago, to accept a posthumous award on behalf of Riley Valcin from the Quebec government.
The 22-year-old was killed in a workplace accident at the ferris wheel at the Old Port in December.
“Since my brother’s death I’ve been trying to prepare my family to the worse possible event,” said Joey Valcin, while speaking in the auditorium.
“I hope that my father in his last moment remembered the words that I shared with him.” Joey Valcin added.
They are hoping Gamaniel Valcin’s body will repatriated back to Canada as soon as possible.
Montreal-North borough Mayor Christine Black said she was devastated to hear the news. “All the community of Montreal North is with all the family and will be there for the next steps and for what will happen in the future,” she added.
Pierre Belamy Samedi, a police commissioner for that region, said a total of five people were aboard the plane.
Haiti’s National Civil Aviation Office identified the plane as a Cessna 207 but no further details were immediately available.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry tweeted that he was saddened by the crash and offered his sympathies to the relatives of those who died.
— With files from Elizabeth Zogalis
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