Aircraft makes emergency landing in Iqaluit

Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the Iqaluit airport after receiving an afternoon call on May 18 that a Boeing 737 coming from Val d’Or, Que. was in distress, only to find the plane and its 60 passengers landed without incident.

Pilots headed for the Raglan mine in northern Quebec recently made an emergency landing in Iqaluit after finding their brakes and steering were in danger of failing.

After repairs by an on-board mechanic, the plane resumed its route to Raglan Mine near Salluit, according to a company spokesman.

Robert Liershaft, director of flight operations for Falconbridge Aviation, the Noranda subsidiary responsible for the plane, said the incident was the first “in years,” and occurred only because “mines are very typically safety-conscious.”