Ontario Air Ambulance Accident

[Acosell]

OPP NEWS RELEASE

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Air ambulance crash - Snake Lake, Temagami

TEMAGAMI, ON - Ontario Provincial Police are at the scene of an air ambulance crash on Snake Lake just north of Temagami.

The Temiskaming OPP were contacted at approximately 9 p.m. on the 8th of February 2008 in regards to a snowmobile collision with a person having serious head injuries (struck a dock on Rib Lake).

The driver of the snowmobile was subsequently transported to Temiskaming Hospital via ambulance with life-threatening injuries.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. the responding Air Ambulance crashed a short distance from the helicopter pad near Snake Lake (Temagami).

There were four occupants on board the helicopter at the time of the crash and all have been transported to Temiskaming Hospital.

Two of the occupants of the helicopter are in serious condition.

No names are available at this time.

Further details to be released as they become available.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been notified and investigators will be attending the scene.

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Link

Statement on CHL Air Ambulance Accident

On Friday, February 8, 2008 at approximately 10:00 p.m., a Canadian Helicopters Limited (CHL) air ambulance helicopter from Sudbury was involved in an accident while approaching a helipad on Snake Island. The crew was en-route to meet a land ambulance when the accident occurred.

There were four crew members on board the helicopter including two Ornge critical care paramedics and two CHL pilots. The crew was responding to a scene-call at the time of the accident.

Cause of the accident is unknown and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be investigating and now has jurisdiction over the accident site.

The medical transport of patients was not compromised during this incident. Ornge took all necessary steps to ensure there were aircraft and paramedics available to transport patients if needed.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the paramedics and pilots involved in this accident.

For media enquiries please call Christine Bujold at 416.531.7577

Link

[medibrat]

I used to work up there....it's still only a little over an hour from here...I'm doing some more digging to see if I can get names of the crew...one of the medics has already been released...waiting to hear on the pilots and 2nd medic...small world...we know everyone up here...

Brat :angel8:

[akroeze]

Anyone heard anything more about this? Like what caused it?

I know there is an official investigation, but I also know that lots of times there is info that is "unofficial" out there.

[medibrat]

still digging....but I can tell you that the weather was cloudy and fairly warm (for up here anyway)...maybe -15C...and that we had gotten a couple inches of snow...but that's it...I will keep my ears to the ground.

Brat :angel8:

[Dustdevil]

LOL@ "warm" and "snow" appearing in the same sentence.

[Acosell]

I have a few unofficial details.

Apparently the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power at approx. 200 feet above ground and subsequently landed in some trees.

From what I have heard, one of the medics has been released from the hospital already. The other medic has suffered a fracture somewhere in his lower spine. One of the pilots suffered a pneumothorax. I'm not sure what the status is on the second pilot.

All of the above details have NOT been confirmed with any official source.

[firedoc5]

Thank God no one was killed.

[SooC]

Medibrat: Has the one name been released or the person released from the hospital? Im trying to find more info as I know some of the guys that work out of Sudz.

[Happiness]

Thank god all is well. We have just had another anniversery of our Medivac crash and to this day it effects us still here and the guys that have to fly to our comminity. Here is a link if anyone cares to read about it.

happy

http://www.mtc.gob.pe/portal/transportes/a...df/ap_jan97.pdf

[Urbanmedic461]

DISREGARD THIS POST...Names released in article below.