Photo:
OTTAWA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Canadian Coroners Service of the Northwest Territories has confirmed that the crash of a passenger plane that crashed in northern Canada early Tuesday morning has claimed casualties, Canadian press reported. The plane lost contact shortly after an early morning takeoff near Fort Smith, a town about 740 km south of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories.
The provincial coroner's service has not said how many people died, saying it must first notify next of kin. Nor were any details provided on how many people were on board.
Fort Smith Hospital, located near the Alberta border, has activated its mass casualty system. The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority did not provide further details, citing patient confidentiality, the report said.
The Canadian Transportation Safety Board has reported that the aircraft belongs to Northwestern Air Lease, and the airline's website states that it has two such aircraft in its fleet, which can carry 19 passengers. A representative of the company confirmed that it was a charter flight.
Multinational mining company Rio Tinto confirmed on Tuesday evening that the plane was on its way to the Diavik diamond mine at the time of the crash, carrying workers from Diavik.
"We have been informed by authorities that a plane en route to our Diavik mine carrying several of our people crashed near Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories, Canada, resulting in fatal injuries," Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm said in a statement. "We are working closely with the authorities and will assist them in any way we can in their efforts to find out exactly what happened."
The Security Council has confirmed that it has sent an investigator to the scene.
Xinhua/gnews.com/RoZ_07
English 
Czech