OTTAWA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A small aircraft directing wildfire suppression efforts in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT) has crashed with three people onboard and the casualties remain unknown, local media reported on Thursday.
The NWT wildfire management authorities and police confirmed that the crash occurred on Wednesday night about 50 kilometers west of Fort Simpson, a village west of the territorial capital Yellowknife. Police investigators arrived at the crash site and are conducting investigations.
According to the police, the aircraft is a Turbo Commander, which typically serves as an airborne command center to coordinate firefighting operations.
Buffalo Airways, the operator of the aircraft, confirmed on social media Thursday morning that one of its planes was involved in a crash on Wednesday, asking for the space needed to support the ongoing investigation.
Wildfire authorities said they learned of the incident after the aircraft was deemed overdue. The plane was supporting suppression efforts on a wildfire designated as FS009-26. The naturally caused blaze began on Tuesday and has covered about one square kilometer.
