In brief
A medical helicopter operated by Airmedic crashed in a wooded area in Quebec, leaving four crew members and one patient missing. Emergency teams are actively searching the area, with one person rescued and hospitalized. Airmedic has suspended its air operations pending investigation.
Emergency responders were engaged in a search effort on Saturday for four individuals missing after a medical helicopter operated by Airmedic crashed into a lake in rural Quebec on Friday night. The helicopter, carrying four crew members and one patient, went down around 10:30 p.m. in a wooded area north of Natashquan, a small village described as “really at the edge of the world” by the province’s tourism group.One person was located with non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital, as confirmed by Sergeant Laurie Avoine of the Quebec provincial police. However, it remains unclear if this person was part of the crew. The Canadian Armed Forces have joined provincial police in the search, which involves ground, water, and aerial teams.The helicopter’s crash occurred shortly after takeoff, according to Nicholas Defalco, a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Details regarding the flight's departure and destination sites were not disclosed immediately. As a precaution following the incident, Airmedic announced it would temporarily suspend air operations until further notice.Natashquan, located on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence’s north shore and approximately 625 miles northeast of Quebec City, is home to only around 300 residents. This region forms part of the Côte-Nord area of Quebec, which is less populated, with fewer than 100,000 residents, and attracts tourists for whale watching and forest experiences.
