Pilot and passenger die in plane crash near Vermilion
RCMP were dispatched to the crash shortly after noon on Saturday, and the plane was found approximately 1.2 kilometres short of the local airport runway just north of Vermilion, Alta.
Police said there were two occupants in the plane — a 46-year-old woman who was the pilot and a resident of Slave Lake, and a 76-year-old man from Mannville who was a passenger.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Neither survived the crash.
RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney said she did not know the aircraft type, but said it was small.
The Transportation Safety Board said it deployed two investigators on Saturday following the crash and will be investigating what happened.
Story continues below advertisement
An Alberta Air Tours fly-in breakfast slated to take place Sunday at the airport was cancelled out of respect for those killed in the crash.
— with files from The Canadian Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Trains remain halted one day after CN derailment in southwestern Ontario: Via Rail
The Via Rail station in Windsor, Ont. on July 25, 2025. (Gary Archibald/CTV News Windsor) Via Rail says trains continue to be halted one day after a Canadian National Railway Co. train derailment of about two dozen railcars and one locomotive. A spokesperson for Via says traffic near Brantford, Ont., remains halted due to the derailment, and it is waiting for line clearance from the infrastructure owner. CN spokesman Tom Bateman says crews with the company safely restored train service Saturday morning at the site of the derailment. However, he says workers will remain in the area for several days, and delays in train traffic may be necessary to allow crews to continue working safely in the area. Bateman says there were no injuries, leaks or fires reported, and the cause of the derailment remains under investigation. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said Friday it was sending a team of investigators to Paris, Ont., to gather evidence and determine what happened. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.
Global News
5 hours ago
- Global News
‘Goosebumps' and euphoria after workers trapped in B.C. mine were freed
It was a 'euphoric' moment as three drilling company workers were brought to safety after spending more than 60 hours trapped underground in a mine in a remote area of northwestern British Columbia, their employer said Friday. The workers who had been sheltering in a steel refuge 284 metres below ground emerged after a complex, high-stakes rescue mission involving drones, a remote-controlled scoop machine and a special protected rescue vehicle. Hy-Tech Drilling's president Dwayne Ross thanked everyone involved in the rescue effort at the Red Chris mine, where the workers surfaced at around 10:40 p.m. Thursday. He told a news briefing that the men — Kevin Coumbs, Darien Maduke and Jesse Chubaty — would soon be back in Smithers, B.C., where Hy-Tech is based. Bernard Wessels, the global safety chief for the mine's operator, Newmont Corp., said there were 'goosebumps and happiness' when the contractors escaped the gold and copper mine, about 500 kilometres northwest of Terrace, B.C. Story continues below advertisement The men 'held hope and strength through their every moment,' he told the briefing. The men were to be reunited with their families on Friday, Wessels said. A statement from Newmont said the workers were in 'good physical and mental condition' when they were found. 'As a precaution, they were taken for medical evaluations and offered access to counselling,' it said, adding that reuniting the workers with their families was the immediate focus. Hy-Tech issued a statement Friday including a photo of the three men standing with Ross and a company director in front of the helicopter taking them home. 'Bringing our team safely back to surface was a moment of immense relief,' Ross said in the statement. The trio had been trapped by two 'falls of ground' that blocked an access tunnel. Wessels described the remote-controlled machine used in the operation as 'big, big pieces of equipment,' with the scoop clearing a path to allow the rescue vehicle to pass through a blockage about 20 metres long. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'With the area stabilized, the emergency response team advanced across the impacted zone using equipment with an engineered falling object protect system,' he said, referring to an enclosure on a vehicle used in dangerous locations. Story continues below advertisement 'Upon reaching the refuge chamber, the team found Kevin, Darien, and Jesse in stable condition. Together with the emergency response team, they returned to (the) surface using the same protective equipment.' He said the men walked on their own to the rescue vehicle and they were taken out one by one. Wessels said the response showed that 'safety protocols work,' adding the men did 'exactly what they were trained to do.' The first fall of ground had occurred at 7:47 a.m. Tuesday, prompting the men to retreat to the refuge equipped with air, food and water, before the second, bigger fall around 10:30 a.m. Wessels said the refuge was about 700 metres from where both falls occurred. He said the men were found in 'healthy spirits,' telling rescuers they had managed to catch up on their sleep. Newmont, based in Denver, Colo., said in a statement that the outcome was a 'result of tireless collaboration, technical expertise, and above all, safety and care.' 'We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the rescue teams and all those involved.' No prior fall-of-ground events had occurred in the tunnel where the men became trapped, the company said, adding it had been subjected to routine inspections. Story continues below advertisement 'This incident was highly localized and unexpected' the statement said. 'A full investigation will be conducted to determine the root cause and share learnings with the broader industry.' Wessels told Friday's briefing that the mine doesn't have a history of geotechnical instability and the fall-of-ground incidents occurred in a 'very localized area.' 'This one caught us by surprise and we need to go and understand that,' he said. The mine is subject to daily and monthly inspections, as well as 'second line of defence' inspections by external observers, Wessels said. 'We will do an extensive inspection and investigation into this incident, and ultimately we will share the results of this incident so that we can learn from that. But it's not a common thing, and it's not a common thing for this operation,' he said. Still, he said falls of ground are a risk across the mining industry. 'That's why we've got standards and protocols that we put in place.' B.C. Premier David Eby hailed the outcome and the 'heroic work of the rescue team.' 'The three drillers demonstrated remarkable courage over the 60-plus hours of being trapped underground,' he said. A statement from Mines Minister Jagrup Brar later Friday said it was a 'proud day' for the province. Story continues below advertisement 'We breathe a collective sigh of relief and express our profound thanks in celebration of the rescue and safe return of the three workers,' he said. 'As we move forward, we reflect on the impact of this incident and the lessons we can glean from it.' Brar said the ministry's chief inspector had begun an investigation into the incident, the results of which would be made public. The three workers had been identified on Thursday by Hy-Tech, saying Coumbs was from Ontario, Maduke was from B.C. and Chubaty was from Manitoba. It described Coumbs and Chubaty as drillers and Maduke as a driller's helper. A Facebook page belonging to Chubaty issued a post Friday saying it had been a 'wild week' and he thanked people for reaching out. 'Glad to be outta there!' the post read. 'To all my mining brothers stay safe down there and to everyone else as well!' Newmont said open-pit operations had resumed at the Red Chris. Those operations are separate from the underground project, it said. 'The underground area where the incident occurred remains secured. No work will resume there until a full investigation is completed and safety is reassessed.' Story continues below advertisement Michael Goehring, president of the Mining Association of B.C., issued a statement Friday thanking rescuers and commending the successful effort. 'Newmont's rescue operation is a testament to the commitment, skill, and readiness of mine rescue teams across British Columbia who, at a moment's notice, willingly place themselves in harm's way to keep others safe,' he said. The effort involved mine rescue professionals from both Red Chris and the Brucejack mine in the same region, he noted. — With files from Ashley Joannou in Vancouver
Global News
17 hours ago
- Global News
Proper hazardous material disposal highlighted after Kelowna recycling truck catches fire
A fire that erupted inside a recycling truck in Kelowna, B.C., this week is prompting an important reminder about hazardous material being tossed into recycling bins. 'Very scary situation,' said Cynthia Coates, supervisor of solid waste services with the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO). 'It seems to be a little bit more prevalent as we see more and more lithium ion batteries out there in the world. They seem to be a big culprit.' On Wednesday, a driver of a recycling truck was forced to urgently dump a big load of material in a Kelowna school parking lot after flames erupted inside the vehicle. The suspected cause was deemed to be a metal fuel filter that was improperly placed in a recycling bin. 'You're compacting that stuff. It's breaking. Things are opening up. Things are going all over the rest of the stuff, so it does create a really risky situation,' Coates said. Story continues below advertisement In April, a garbage truck caught fire in Enderby. The city said there were more than 100 cellphone batteries in a bag, which ended up inside the truck. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The batteries likely ignited when they were compressed. 3:42 Recycle BC on minimizing waste while camping According to the RDCO, hazardous and potentially risky material includes anything corrosive, flammable or poisonous to less-obvious items, such as batteries, including those in e-cigarettes or vaping devices, metal automobile fuel filters, power tools, smoke alarms and propane tanks. 'This cart is only for paper and packaging,' Coates said, referring to a curbside recycling bin. 'Everything else, you need to find another home for and there's many options for that.' One of those options is Kelowna Recycling on Windsor Road, which accepts a lengthy list of hazardous material including electronics and more. Story continues below advertisement 'Household paints, household aerosols, aerosol cans that contain a flammable liquid that could be punctured by the compactor,' said Chase Fennessy, the facility's manager. 'Those are super dangerous.' It's the type of danger residents need to be mindful of when tossing items into their curbside bins. 'Sometimes it's ignorance to the rules, sometimes it's ignorance to the danger but I think a lot of people are putting their best effort in,' Fennessy said. Fennessy echoed the RDCO's message on proper disposal of any hazardous material. 'Most of the time the best option is to call us, check with us and see if what you have is something we accept, ' he said. 'If we don't accept it, we help direct you to the right place.' Fortunately no one was hurt in Wednesday's truck fire incident.
