The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is calling for a full inquiry into a helicopter crash north of Sault Ste. Marie Tuesday that took the lives of four public servants.
A pilot, a conservation officer and two resource technicians were doing moose surveys when the helicopter experienced mechanical difficulties and went down.
Dead are pilot Michael Maguire, conservation officer Walter Ceolin, and resource technicians Bruce Stubbs and Chantelle Walkey. The pilot was a manager and the other three were members of Local 603.
“My immediate thoughts are with the families of all four victims,” said OPSEU President Leah Casselman. “They have my heartfelt sympathy.”
Casselman said the union would cooperate completely in efforts to find out what went wrong. “It’s always a tragedy when something like this happens. Nobody expects to die as a result of doing their job.
“These people were working for us, as citizens and as taxpayers, protecting the natural resources of our province. And they have died in our service.”
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For further information:
Leah Casselman: 416-443-8888 or 1-800-268-7376
Katie FitzRandolph: 416-448-7440 or cell 416-788-9057 or kfitzrandolph@opseu.org
