Canadians killed in helicopter crash

An M18 Soviet helicopter chartered by a subsidiary of Cameco recently crashed in the Tien-Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, killing all on board.

The Kyrgyz Air helicopter was carrying 12 passengers and three crew members from the Kumtor mine site to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, 350 km away. It was one of three helicopters that left the mine site at about 3:15 p.m. local time on Oct. 4, and was last sighted crossing the Barskoon Pass, 3,800 metres above sea level.

A search began minutes after the aircraft failed to make contact with a local radio tower, at about 3:30 p.m. One of the two other helicopters returned in an effort to locate the missing aircraft but was unsuccessful because of approaching darkness. Rescue workers reached the site of the crash on Oct. 6, and found no survivors.

The passengers included nine Canadians, two Brits and one Turk, all employed by companies under contract to Cameco’s wholly owned subsidiary, Kumtor Operating Co.

Six of the Canadians were from Saskatchewan, and employed by Alto Construction. They are John Atkinson, 60, Carl Crozier, 39, Cliff Garrett, 36, Allan Wood, 40, Floyd Parenteau, 39, and Norm Whalley, 48.

Ken Hermann, 42, was from Vancouver, B.C. and employed by Kilborn Engineering. Two men were from Edmonton, Alta. Ken Doughty, 28, was employed by Lakeland Ambulance and Henry Nooitgedagt, 38, was employed by Travco (PTI).

President Askar Akaev of Kyrgyzstan issued a statement expressing his sorrow at the loss of lives. He also said he condsidered the impact of the tragedy to be “even more severe because Canadians are so deeply involved in the development of Kyrgyzstan”.