Global Courant
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said an undetermined number of crew members were killed when a military helicopter crashed into the Ottawa River early Tuesday morning while on a training flight.
Two crew members had been reported missing earlier in the day, while two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident happened around 12:10 a.m. ET on Tuesday about 90 miles northwest of downtown Ottawa, according to a tweet from the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Four Canadian Forces were aboard the CH-147 Chinook at the time a tweet from Anita AnandMinister of National Defense.
Trudeau told reporters on Tuesday that he had spoken to the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Wayne Eyre, overnight and expressed his condolences.
“I was pleased to speak with the Chief of Defense Staff last night to express my condolences to the families and colleagues of those killed,” Trudeau said.
“The fact is that there will be a thorough investigation, there will be answers, but right now we are focusing on informing families and supporting them.”
Neither military nor defense officials have confirmed that any crew members were killed or presumed dead. Defense officials said late Tuesday afternoon that search and recovery efforts are underway.
Renfrew County EMTs said so treated two patients with non-life-threatening injurieswho were then taken to hospital.
The two missing crew members are from 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, according to a DND press release.
The military says this type of helicopter used to move people and equipment and this squadron is located in Petawawa. It is the Air Force’s only CH-147F Chinook squadron.
Two RCAF CH-147F Chinook helicopters at CFB Bagotville in Quebec in 2018. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press)
Crash leads to local water restrictions
First responders conducting search and rescue in the area include military members – with air support from Petawawa and 8 Wing Trenton – Ontario Provincial Police and local firefighters.
LOOK | A selection from the search on the water:
Personnel aboard a fireboat search the Ottawa River near Garrison Petawawa
Two airmen are missing after a military helicopter crashed into the Ottawa River near Garrison Petawawa earlier that morning.
DND has asked boaters to avoid the river near the base and Black Bear Beach to avoid “potentially hazardous materials from the aircraft” and preserve the crash scene.
LOOK | Prime Minister Trudeau sends his thoughts to the military:
Trudeau offers his condolences after CAF members are killed in a helicopter crash
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the military helicopter crash into the Ottawa River will be “thoroughly investigated.”
The city of Petawawa says so has stopped bringing water from the Ottawa River to its water treatment plant as a precaution and has banned non-essential watering, such as for lawns or gardens.
Petawawa public works director John Felix said the city is drawing water from Pembroke, which has three water tanks, and expects it to take up to four days.
He said the inlet pipe into the river is 400 meters offshore and is about seven meters deep.
“Until we’re sure the river itself is cleared and we’re ready to go, we’ll start to resume operations that we normally do and stop pulling so much out of the town of Pembroke.”
Neighboring Laurentian Valley and Pembroke are ask residents to conserve water due to the high demand “because we are helping our (neighbors) with an ongoing emergency.”
Petawawa Mayor Gary Serviss said everyone in the city will be affected by the incident – he said Chinook helicopters are “part of the fabric of the city”.
“It’s going to be emotional in the next few days,” he said.
“The community and the garrison will come together, bond and see if we can help each other through this terrible situation.”
