The Town of Fort Smith and Diavik diamond mine are arranging services to remember the six people who passed away in an air crash on January 23, 2024.
A charter plane operated by Northwestern Air Lease was headed from Fort Smith to Diavik when it came down shortly after takeoff. Two crew members and four passengers, who worked at the time, were killed. A seventh person survived.
On Thursday this week, exactly one year after the disaster, the town will hold a candlelight memorial service at St John’s Anglican Church from 6:30pm.
From February 2024: Tributes paid after Fort Smith plane crash
“Over the past year, the Town of Fort Smith has experienced moments of growth and togetherness as we have supported each other through difficult times and moments of loss,” Mayor of Fort Smith Dana Fergusson wrote in a message to residents.
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“A year ago, six valued residents of Fort Smith lost their lives, and several families were forever changed.”
Fergusson said the emotions associated with that day may “feel overwhelming” and urged residents to seek help if they need it, describing doing so as “a sign of strength.”
Diavik chief operating officer Matt Breen said the mine will hold a memorial at the site “with feeding-the-fire ceremonies, a minute of silence and a time to reflect.”
“We continue to keep our colleagues and the two pilots in our hearts and continue to extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” he said.
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A year since the tragedy, the investigation into what took place has reached the “report phase.”
That involves a confidential draft report being reviewed for approval by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and sent to other designated reviewers – potentially including companies or manufacturers associated with the incident.
As part of the investigation, the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder was recovered. Surveillance footage of the plane’s fuelling, passenger loading and departure was collected for analysis. Wreckage was sent to the TSB’s regional office in Edmonton for examination.
The TSB considers the Fort Smith incident to be a “class two” investigation, one that is complex and involves “several safety issues requiring in-depth analysis.”
The board says those investigations generally take up to 600 days, or nearly two years, though that timeline can be exceeded.
TSB spokesperson Liam MacDonald said the board will release its investigation report “as soon as feasible.”
