The lone survivor of a plane crash that killed six people on their way to Rio Tinto‘s (NYSE: RIO; LSE: RIO; ASX: RIO) Diavik diamond mine has been identified as well as a deceased passenger.
One of the victims is Howie Benwell. He had just turned 30 a few weeks ago, CBC News reported on Thursday. His sister is remembering him as a musician with a great sense of humour. The broadcaster showed a picture of Benwell sporting an Iron Maiden t-shirt.
The sole survivor is Kurt Macdonald, an electrician at Diavik and a new parent with a five-month-old son, his father told CBC. Macdonald was airlifted to Stanton Territorial Hospital, the largest in the territory, in Yellowknife. His condition has not been publicly released.
Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm said Thursday he was flying to the Northwest Territories.
“We are feeling numb with the devastating news that we have lost dear friends and colleagues,” Stausholm said in a release. “I extend our deepest sympathy to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy.”
The 19-seat aircraft crashed near Fort Smith on the Alberta border Tuesday morning, killing four passengers and two crew members. The plane had just taken off from the town about 740 km south of Yellowknife.
The plane was a British Aerospace Jetstream registered to Northwestern Air Lease, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The board is investigating the crash.
“We will be working closely with authorities over the coming days, weeks and months, to support their efforts to understand the full facts of what has happened,” Stausholm said.
Diavik, one of Canada’s largest diamond mines, is located about 300 km northeast of Yellowknife. Rio Tinto began output in 2003, employing more than 1,100 workers to produce 3.5 million to 4.5 million carats of rough diamonds a year. Commercial production is slated to end in early 2026.
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