Worker dies after helicopter rollover at Hope Bay mine site
RCMP investigating incident along with Transportation Safety Board, Nunavut’s chief coroner
Agnico Eagle announced Tuesday night that a worker has died at the company’s Hope Bay mine site.
A worker at the Hope Bay Mine site has died after a helicopter rolled over during a landing Tuesday afternoon.
RCMP released a statement saying police in Cambridge Bay were contacted by a mine safety officer to report the accident at 5 p.m.
The rollover killed a man who was on the ground. Nobody else was injured, RCMP said.
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., which operates the site, said that the worker was a 42-year-old man from Alberta.
The company published a news release early Wednesday morning about the accident.
The release says the accident occured at 3 p.m., about 13 kilometres from the Doris mine, and involved an employee of a contractor.
“The emergency response team and medic from Hope Bay responded immediately to the incident,” states the release.
“The RCMP in Cambridge Bay has been notified as well as the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission.”
Operations have been suspended for 24 hours at Hope Bay, which is located about 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay. The release says Agnico Eagle is working with the contractor to extend support to the victim’s family.
“The company will also provide counselling and assist our employees and contractors at the camp,” states the release.
The RCMP, Transportation Safety Board and Nunavut’s chief coroner are investigating.
Condolences.
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Mining inspectors used to have to have had previous experience both as a miner and as a manager in a mine. But hiring such people was costly and they usually retired after a few years.
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So, a few years ago, the Workers’ Safety Commisions in Canada got the provincial / territorial governments to change the requirements.
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Now all you need to be hired as a mining safety inspector is a university degree that includes a science course.
And how would your opinion about mines inspectors have prevented this aircraft incident?