Three Fatally Injured On Routine Ice Patrol

A Canadian Coast Guard helicopter flying from the icebreaker Amundsen went down in the water Tuesday on a fight that was described as a routine check of ice conditions, as well as a familiarization flight for a new crew.

The Canadian Coast guard released a statement expressing condolences to the families of those who were fatally injured. They were named as the Commanding Officer of the CCGS Amundsen, Mr. Marc Thibault, Mr. Daniel Dubé, the helicopter pilot, and Dr. Klaus Hochheim, a scientist with the University of Manitoba affiliated with the ArcticNet project.

The statement said Mr. Marc Thibault has been a trusted Commanding Officer and a devoted Coast Guard employee for 29 years; Mr. Daniel Dubé was an experienced pilot who had flown a Coast Guard helicopter for 28 years; and Dr. Klaus Hochheim was a respected and passionate scientist who was committed to the pursuit of knowledge of marine ecosystems.

The aircraft was a Eurocopter BO105. Eurocopter said in a statement that it has representatives available to assist the (Canadian) Transportation Safety Board in any and all ways.

According to a report in the Ottawa Citizen, the flight was being conducted to familiarize the ship's commanding officer with the ice conditions around the ship. The weather was reported to be clear. Mario Pelletier, the coast guard's assistant commissioner, said the ship lost contact with the aircraft, and when it arrived at the aircraft's last known position, they found three people in the water wearing safety gear. It was not reported how far the helo was from the ship when it went down.

The Amundsen was sailing through the M'Clure Strait in the western Arctic as part of a scientific study mission.

(Image provided by the Canadian Coast Guard)

FMI: www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/eng/CCG/Home