Two men are dead after the helicopter they were using to work on power lines along the North Saskatchewan River crashed.
RCMP, rescue crews and STARS air ambulance were called to the scene, about 23 kilometres northeast of Maidstone in west-central Saskatchewan, at around 2 p.m. Thursday.
A witness told CTV News he saw the helicopter nosedive onto an island on the river.
“I presume it was pulling lines across the river. All of a sudden I saw debris flying off the top of the chopper, and it just nosedived,” the witness said.
“You couldn’t count to three before it hit the ground.”
RCMP said two men on board the helicopter — a 55-year-old pilot from Campbell River, B.C. and a 30-year-old passenger from Prince Albert, Sask. — were declared dead at the scene.
Campbell River's mayor identified the pilot as Steven Wilson, a long-time resident of the Vancouver Island city, and a Go Fund Me page has since been set up for the family of a Prince Albert man who appears to be the victim in the crash.
The page, set up for Dean Gervais, says he left behind a two-year-old daughter and a baby due to be born in December.
The page has so far raised more than $30,000, which will go to a trust fund for Gervais’ young children.
The two men were working for Oceanview Helicopters, based in Powell River, B.C.
“We are saddened to confirm that one of our helicopters was involved in an accident yesterday afternoon… and that the pilot and one passenger suffered fatal injuries at the scene,” a statement from Oceanview’s owners read.
“We have been in contact with the pilot’s family and are in communication with the passenger’s employer, who is our client. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of both gentlemen.”
An initial report on the crash by Transport Canada states the helicopter struck a power line before crashing onto the island.
The island was covered in trees and bush, according to the witness. Smoke was visible as soon as the helicopter hit the ground.
“There was smoke coming out of it almost instantly,” he said. “There was white smoke coming and then black smoke, but there were no flames. We never did see any flames.”
The helicopter was an MD500D, according to Oceanview’s owners.
A SaskPower spokesperson confirmed the company contracted the helicopter to work on power lines — specifically, to install safety markers on new power lines between Edam and Maidstone. Neither worker was a SaskPower employee.
A spokesperson for STARS said its paramedics helped rescuers who swam to the island where the crash took place. No one was transported by air ambulance.
Transportation Safety Board investigators were set to arrive at the crash site Friday night or Saturday morning, according to TSB spokesperson Julie Leroux.
“It depends because it’s difficult access to the accident site," she said Thursday. "If it’s dark, they cannot go, so they might wait until Saturday morning.”
With files from Ken Gousseau, CTV Regina
