Investigation Underway

A Canadian Coast Guard helo, an MBB 105, went down off Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula on Wednesday. Two crewmen on board are reported as having perished.

The CCG has identified them as pilot Gordon Simmons (65), and technician Carl Neal, (47), both residents of St. John's, NF. The accident was reported at 1630 local time. The aircraft is still missing at this writing though the remains of the crewmen were recovered late Wednesday evening.

The reason for the accident is unknown, and CCG officials are offering few clues to what brought the 22 year-old twin-engine, turbine, helo down. Weather is reportedly not a suspected factor, even though some light flurries were reported at the time of the impact.

The helicopter was involved in a scheduled, routine maintenance mission. The MBB 105, was checking land-based navigation aids at a location a short distance away from its Marystown base and apparently encountered difficulties on the return flight.

Janice Woodford, the CCG's Regional Director Of Communications explains that, "The pilot indicated that they would be there about an hour," and had filed a flight plan for the trip. Woodford also added that Pilot Simmons was, "extremely experienced, one of our most senior pilots... Both men were part of the Canadian Coast Guard family... It is a terrible loss."

FMI: www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca