3 dead after plane crash near Fort Simpson, N.W.T., 2 survivors treated

Three people died aftera Simpson Air flight crashedThursday night in the Northwest Territories, the Transportation Safety Board has confirmed.

The territorial Health and Social Services departmentsays two survivors were treated and released.

• LATEST |3 N.W.T. plane crash victims were tourists from Alta., Sask.

TheTSBsaid the crash happened at 6:35 p.m. MT and involved a Cessna 206.According toDamien Healy of Health and Social Services, the plane went down at Little Doctor Lake, near the NorthNahanniRiver and west of the community of Fort Simpson.

Both survivors were assessed free of injuries by the physician and community health nurse.- Damien Healy, health dept. spokesperson

He said in an email that a femalepilot and female passengerwere flown to the Fort Simpson Health Centre late Thursday evening.

Initially he said it was a male pilot, but later confirmed it was a woman.

"Both survivors were assessed free of injuries by the physician and community health nurse."

Healy said a counsellorprovided support to the survivors overnight before both patients were released.

Airline staff 'in shock,' says MLA

There were four passengers from outside of the N.W.T. on the plane,and a local pilot, according to Shane Thompson, MLA forNahendeh.

Thompson said he spoke with staff at the airline, who are "in shock."He says he'sreceived a number of phone calls from community members whoare "saddened by this sudden loss."

The MLA said he is waiting on an update from the N.W.T. Department of Infrastructure. Acabinet spokesperson said she hadn't spoken to the infrastructure minister, and queries should be directed to the health department.

ATSBspokesperson confirmed toCBCon Friday afternoon that the plane is currently under water in Little Doctor Lake.

A team of investigators was initially expected in the community on Saturday, but the TSB nowsays it will be Monday before they arrive. The spokesperson said that givestheRCMPand insurance company representatives time to recover the plane.

In an interview,Insp. Amber Clark said the RCMPwill recover the plane as soon as possible.RCMPis working to notify next of kin.

Area's 2nd crash this week

In a news release issued Friday afternoon, RCMP confirmed they received areport of the crash,about 100kilometres west of Fort Simpson, on Thursday evening.

"Fort Simpson RCMP officers are currently on scene and assisting Transport Canada with their investigation," the statement said.

Ted Grant, the owner of Simpson Air, wouldn't comment on the crash, deferring to theRCMP.

On its website, Simpson Air says its charters flyin the N.W.T.'s Mackenzie Valley.It has been operatingsince the 1960s.

Grant also operates Nahanni Mountain Lodge on Little Doctor Lake,a remote wilderness lodge overlookingthe Nahanni Mountain Range. The lodge is only accessible by float plane in the summer, according to theSimpson Air website. The lodge offers tours of the area and is a popular fishing spot.

This is the second plane crash in the N.W.T.'s Dehcho region this week. A plane, owned by South NahanniAirways, went down in the small community ofNahanniButte,on Wednesday. Several passengers and the pilotsuffered minor injuries.

With files from Hilary Bird, Kirsten Fenn