2 dead, 1 injured in small plane crash in northern Quebec
Two men are dead and a third is in serious but stable condition after a plane crashed in northern Quebec late Sunday afternoon.
The Sûreté du Québec say someone from the Cessna 206 contacted the province's private air rescue service Airmedic at 3:30 p.m. Sunday to report the crash in Rivière-Mouchalagane in the Côte-Nord region .
Alain Lafontaine, 55, the senior legal counsel with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, has been identified as one of two passengers who died in the crash.
A spokesperson for Justice Canada confirmed Lafontaine's death, offering condolences to his family and praising his quick mind and distinguished work.
The other victim, a 38-year-old man from Saint-Maurice, Que., has not been identified.
The injured pilot has been identified as Philippe St-Pierre of Gatineau, Que.
Pilot airlifted out Sunday
Aziz Fikri, vice-president of communications for private air rescue service Airmedic, told Radio-Canada on Sunday a medical team was able to reach him and take him to hospital.
On Monday St-Pierre was transferred to a hospital in Quebec City with severe burns to much of his body where he remains in serious but stable condition.
St-Pierre is the owner of several car dealerships in Gatineau.
Martin Leclair, a manager with Mercedes-Benz in Gatineau and colleague of St-Pierre, said he flew with St-Pierre on a number of occasions and described him as an experienced and meticulous pilot.
Jean Tremblay, a spokesman with the Sûreté du Québec, said investigators believe the crash occurred during takeoff.
