National

Safety board calls for changes after fatal 2021 Nunavut helicopter crash

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Feb, 2024 10:51 AM

The Transportation Safety Board is calling for improvements after an investigation into a deadly helicopter crash in Nunavut.

The helicopter went down in 2021 on a trip to survey polar bear populations on Griffith Island, about 20 kilometres southwest of Resolute Bay, Nvt.

Two crew members and a wildlife biologist were killed.

LIVE RIGHT NOW: Watch #TSBAir news conference as we issue 4 safety recommendations to @Transport_gc following our investigation into a fatal helicopter crash in #Nunavut that killed 3 people (A21C0038): https://t.co/MGL9BIEI8Q #AviationSafety #news pic.twitter.com/IN8DJaBmpy
— TSB of Canada (@TSBCanada) February 15, 2024

The safety board says Transport Canada needs to ensure pilots have better training for flying in whiteout conditions.

It also says the government should require operators to install equipment on aircraft that would help pilots orient themselves in poor weather.

Kathy Fox, chair of the board, says investigators have been calling for such changes for 30 years.

She says Canada should follow the lead of U.S. regulators who have brought in similar requirements.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Hunger on the Rise Canadian Food Banks in High Demand

Earlier this year, there were an unprecedented 1.9 million visits to food banks in Canada. This is a 32% increase from 2022 and a 78% increase since before the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, food banks are approaching 2024 with growing concerns as the sustained increase in demand places additional strain on their resources and capacities.

Hunger on the Rise Canadian Food Banks in High Demand

BC snowmobiler dead

Police in eastern British Columbia are warning backcountry users to be ready for emergencies after a snowmobiler was killed and two skiers had to be rescued this week in separate incidents. RCMP in the Golden-Field detachment say the death happened on Jan. 21 when a snowmobile driven by a 24-year-old man left the trail down a steep embankment and hit some trees.

BC snowmobiler dead

Spike expected in homes sales in 2024

Homes sales in the province are forecast to increase this year by 7.8 per cent, in what the B-C Real Estate Association says will be a delicate balance for the market. The association’s Brian Ogmundson says headwinds slowed last year’s sales with elevated mortgage rates, but the recent decline in fixed mortgage rates and the potential for Bank of Canada rate cuts make it a more optimistic year.

Spike expected in homes sales in 2024

Manager in fatal B.C. rooming house fire calls for better fire safety training

The manager of a Vancouver rooming house that was the site of a fatal fire in 2022 broke down in tears at an inquest, telling the jury that staff needed better training in fire safety. Gina Vanemberg testified that a "red book" with fire safety procedures was given to her when she became manager of the Winters Hotel in 2020, but no one from her employer, Atira Property Management, went over the paperwork or confirmed that she read it.

Manager in fatal B.C. rooming house fire calls for better fire safety training

Military 'will be there' for Canadians in emergencies despite resource strain: Blair

Defence Minister Bill Blair says the military's greatest responsibility is protecting Canadians, and his government intends to keep calling on them for help in domestic emergencies. Blair says he knows responding to natural disasters puts a lot of pressure on the Armed Forces, which is dealing with a personnel shortage of more than 16,000 troops.

Military 'will be there' for Canadians in emergencies despite resource strain: Blair

Vancouver approves high-density Jericho Lands project criticized by some residents

Vancouver's city council has approved a high-density development concept for a 36-hectare site on the city's west side, involving13,000 new homes. The Council says the Jericho Lands Policy Statement sets the direction for development of the land owned by a joint venture that includes three First Nations.