3 rescued after 2 float plane crashes in N.W.T.

Yellowknife RCMP brought two pilots and one passenger home safe after responding to calls about two downed float planes on Tuesday evening.

The first call came in around 7 p.m.from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ont. after a float plane's emergency beacon was initiated about 35 kilometres south of Lutselk'e, police said. Two officers boarded a chartered helicopter to the scene.

They found the aircraft upside-down in the water and the pilot with only minor injuries.

A second call came in around 9:30 p.m. about an overdue float plane on Dubawnt Lake, on the N.W.T/Nunavut border.

RCMP called in a Hercules from Winnipeg, via JRCC Trenton, which found the downed aircraft in water around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Two search and rescue technicians found a pilot and passenger in good condition.

All three were brought back to Yellowknife.

Transport Canada has been informed of the crashes.

In a news release, police thank Lutselk'e RCMP, the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and Civil Aviation Search and Rescue who all helped with the search and rescues.