Three people died in a Canadian Coast Guard crash of a *MBB Bo 105 helicopter.

The accident occurred in the McClure Strait near Banks Island in the Northwest Territories. THe helicopter was out of CCGS Amundsen, a T1200 Class Medium Arctic icebreaker and Arctic research vessel operated by the Canadian Coast Guard which performs ice breaking in winter, research in summer and is equipped for search and rescue, and pollution management.

The helicopter crew was on a reconnaissance mission to check ice conditions.

The names of the fatalities were released:

• Daniel Dube, the pilot;
• Marc Thibault, commanding officer of the CCGS Amundsen;
• Klaus Hochheim, an Arctic researcher, a respected climatologist and research associate with the Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS) at the University of Manitoba.

Their bodies were recovered.

The cause of the accident has not been determined, though it is presumed the Arctic being “one of the harshest and most challenging climates in the world” may be a factor, though failure of helicopter components has not been ruled out.

* Messerschmitt