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Six dead in Rio Tinto plane crash in Canada's northwest

By AAP Newswire

Jan 25, 2024

File photo of Rio Tinto's Diavik Diamond Mine — A plane was travelling from Fort Smith to Rio Tinto's Diavik Diamond Mine when it crashed. -EPA

Six people have been killed when a small plane carrying Rio Tinto workers crashed near Fort Smith in Canada's remote Northwest Territories.

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Four passengers and two North Western Air Lease crew members died in the crash on Wednesday, NWT Chief Coroner Garth Eggenberger said in a statement.

There was one survivor who was treated at the Fort Smith Health Centre before being taken to hospital in the provincial capital Yellowknife.

The plane had been travelling from Fort Smith to the Anglo-Australian multinational's Diavik Diamond Mine, 200km south of the Arctic Circle.

Three Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons supported search and rescue efforts for the British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft, which was found near the Slave River after losing contact shortly after take-off.

The aircraft is registered to Northwestern Air Lease. The company did not respond to requests for comment.

Fort Smith's mayor and council released a statement on Wednesday extending condolences to friends and family of those killed.

"These people are treasured members of our community and their loss touches everyone," the statement said.

Investigators from Canada's Transportation Safety Board has been deployed to look into the accident.

Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm said in a statement on Tuesday night that the company was devastated by the crash and would closely with authorities to find out exactly what happened.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press