Copter crash claims one life

A three-day drama started to unfold last Saturday, when RCMP in Taloyoak were called about a Canadian Helicopters crash near the Distance Early Warning site at Shepherd’s Bay, about a three-hour snowmobile ride south of the community.

The Bell-212 helicopter had apparently taken off toward Gjoa Haven in whiteout conditions shortly after noon.

The crash killed pilot Jack Bhanwer, 47, one of the five people on board. Survivors walked to the nearby DEW line site to report the incident.

A rescue helicopter was sent to the scene from Hall Beach, but was forced to return to Kugaaruk due to poor visibility. A ground search team was organized in Taloyoak, but could not leave the community due to the increasing blizzard conditions and nightfall.

Early Saturday evening, two search and rescue technicians, called SAR techs, parachuted to the site from a Hercules aircraft that had been sent up from Winnipeg.

Finally, on Sunday morning, the helicopter left Kugaaruk and was able to land at the site. However, it was unable to leave due to a blizzard.

On Monday, the rescue helicopter was able to leave the site and bring the injured to the community. They were later taken to Winnipeg on the Hercules.

The survivors of the crash included the co-pilot and three employees of Nasittuq Corporation that has the contract to operate and maintain the unmanned radar sites of the North Warning System for the Department of National Defense.

RCMP and transportation safety investigators and a coroner visited the crash scene. Following their investigation, they returned to Taloyoak with the deceased and the SAR techs.