NWT coroner confirms fatalities in plane crash near Fort Smith

The Northwest Territories Coroner Service has confirmed fatalities related to a plane crash near Fort Smith.

The coroner service made the announcement in a Tuesday afternoon press release, saying it had dispatched a team to Fort Smith that would be investigating the Northwestern Air Lease crash with the RCMP and Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

The release did not state how many people had passed away, saying the coroner service would not provide further information until family members had been notified.

Rio Tinto said the plane was headed to the Diavik diamond mine and had a number of employees on board. The company said it was working closely with authorities.

“I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy,” Rio Tinto Chief Executive, Jakob Stausholm, Rio Tinto’s chief executive, said in a statement. “As a company we are absolutely devastated by this news and offering our full support to our people and the community who are grieving today.

In a statement, NWT Premier RJ Simpson also expressed condolences for the loved ones of those on board the flight, and thanked first responders and rescue teams.

“The impact of this incident is felt across the territory. The people we lost were not just passengers on a flight; they were neighbours, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. Their stories and contributions to our communities will not be forgotten,” he wrote.

“In the Northwest Territories, we come together and take care of each other, especially during difficult times. To those affected by this tragedy: as you navigate this time of grief and sorrow, remember that you have the thoughts and prayers of residents across the NWT. We stand with you, we grieve with you, and we share the pain of your loss.”

Other messages of condolences have been shared on social media.

“Like all northerners, I am deeply saddened to hear the tragic news of the fatal plane crash near Fort Smith,” NWT MP Michael McLeod wrote on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter. “My thoughts are with the loved ones of the passengers and crew who were on board.”

Mental health supports available

In a public notice, the territorial health and social services authority said additional counselling staff have been deployed to Fort Smith.

The authority said people in Fort Smith can access counselling through the community counselling program at 867-872-6310 or through the town’s emergency department outside of regular business hours at 867-872-6200.

The authority also listed a number of virtual supports available to residents across the territory.

The Town of Fort Smith in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning, notified residents of an “aviation incident” and advised people to avoid the area.

In a news release on Tuesday afternoon, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it was deploying investigators to look into an accident involving a British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft registered to Northwestern Air Lease.

A spokesperson for Northwestern Air Lease, an airline based in Fort Smith, said they were unable to comment at this time.

Air force, RCMP and Canadian Rangers respond

David Lavallee, a spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Air Force, said an aircraft lost contact shortly after takeoff near Fort Smith on Tuesday morning. He said the air force, RCMP and Canadian Rangers were all involved in search and rescue efforts.

Three air force squadrons searched the air while the RCMP and Canadian Rangers conducted a ground search, Lavallee said. Rangers located the aircraft near the Slave River, he said, and search and rescue technicians parachuted from a Hercules aircraft into the site.

The NWT RCMP confirmed in a statement that they were assisting Transport Canada and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.

Officials have not released further details about the crash such as how many people were on board the aircraft.

The NWT health authority stated in a public notice that the Fort Smith Health Centre activated its mass casualty protocol around 8:50am. It said that would continue until the health centre received “official direction” that the incident response had ended.

The authority said it was “unable to release any details about the incident or any impacted individuals at this time due to patient confidentiality.”

The authority advised that regular appointments at the health centre may be rescheduled but the emergency department remains open.

In a statement, the NWT Department of Infrastructure said it was aware of the incident, “monitoring the situation as it evolves,” and supporting responding authorities.