Sainte‑Brigide‑d’Iberville, Que. — Four people have died after a helicopter crash in the municipality of Sainte‑Brigide‑d’Iberville, about 50 kilometres southeast of Montreal, Quebec provincial police said on Saturday.
Emergency crews find aircraft on fire
Provincial police said emergency services were called to the scene at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Officers located the crashed aircraft ablaze and later discovered the bodies of the four occupants, who were declared dead at the scene.
"Police were called to the scene around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday."
The police spokesperson said the helicopter appears to have been a private aircraft. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims and have not determined a cause for the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
Transportation Safety Board mobilized
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has dispatched investigators to the crash site, provincial police confirmed. The TSB routinely examines aviation occurrences to establish what happened and to recommend safety improvements, but it typically takes time to analyse wreckage, flight records and other evidence before reaching conclusions.
At this stage, police and TSB investigators are treating the site as an active investigation. No further details about the flight’s origin, destination, operator or the victims’ identities have been released.
What is known so far
- When: Emergency call received about 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
- Where: Sainte‑Brigide‑d’Iberville, about 50 km southeast of Montreal.
- What: Private helicopter crashed and was found on fire; four occupants died and were declared dead at the scene.
- Investigation: Ongoing. The TSB has sent investigators to the location.
| Detail | Known information |
|---|---|
| Time of call | About 2:30 p.m. (Saturday) |
| Location | Sainte‑Brigide‑d’Iberville (≈50 km SE of Montreal) |
| Occupants | Four people (deceased at scene) |
| Aircraft type | Reported to be a private helicopter |
| Investigating bodies | Quebec provincial police and the TSB |
Next steps and what to expect
Provincial police and the TSB will continue on‑site work to document the wreckage and gather evidence. That may include photographing the debris field, interviewing any witnesses, and recovering components for laboratory analysis. The TSB will eventually issue a factual report outlining its initial findings; safety recommendations, if any, typically follow a more detailed analysis.
Local residents and those with information relevant to the investigation are asked to contact the provincial police detachment handling the file. Authorities have not provided further operational details or a timeline for when additional information will be released.
Community impact
Crashes involving private aircraft are rare but often traumatic for small communities. While investigators work to establish facts, questions about why the helicopter crashed — weather, mechanical issues, pilot condition or other factors — will remain unanswered until investigators complete their work.
WE NEWS will monitor updates from the Sûreté du Québec, the Transportation Safety Board and other official sources and will publish developments as they become available.
