A man would have died under the eyes of his son during the crushing of a seaplane linked to the family of a famous Quebec entomologist in the Richelieu river, in Montérégie on Friday.
The two passengers had probably just taken off when their destiny took a dramatic turn, a little after 11 a.m.
The police received several emergency calls for a device that had just overturned in the river, not far from the Robert climb, in Saint-Basile-le-Grand.
Upon arrival of the emergency services on site, they saw the vehicle upside down in the river.
The aircraft was drafted from the Richelieu river by emergency services.
MAXIME DELAND/AGENCE QMI
The first occupant, aged in their twenties, would have managed to return to swimming, while his father, Olivier Brossard, was unfortunately still aboard the seaplane. He perished just a few days before his 59e birthday.
Havilland’s manufacturer’s device and built in 1956 remained partially overwhelmed for more than an hour. He was finally able to get out of the water using a tug.
The seaplane in which Olivier Brossard perished.
MAXIME DELAND/AGENCE QMI
Moving
Mr. Brossard, who sank near his residence, is at the head of ETA Aviation and César Camp du Nord, which manages hunting and fishing camps. His company owns the small plane and would use it to move its customers on the territory and drive out the moose, mentions its website.
Olivier Brossard would have died before the eyes of his son during the crushing of a seaplane linked to the family of a famous Quebec entomologist in the Richelieu river, in Montérégie on Friday. We see him here in front of the plane in which he perished.
Photo taken from Olivier Brossard’s Facebook account
The company has chalets “located in Haute Mauricie, more precisely at the Gouin reservoir or on private lakes or even on a river in the north of Quebec”, we also read.
This family business comes from the old César Club Officry, in La Tuque.
-Before officially closing in 2011, it was led by Georges Brossard Jr., the son of the famous entomologist Georges Brossard, who founded the insectarium in Montreal.
Olivier Brossard, victim
Photo taken from Olivier Brossard’s Facebook account
No criminal offense would be the source of the tragedy, said Éric Boulianne, spokesperson for the Intermunicipal Police Régie Richelieu-Saint-Laurent.
The file has nevertheless been transferred to the Division of Major Crimes of the Sûreté du Québec, which will take care to shed light in this case.
The Canada Transport Safety Office (BST) has been informed of the event and is expected to carry out its investigation to establish the causes of crushing.
Not the first incident
According to our research, the seaplane was already the victim of an incident in 2008, when it belonged to Club César.
A pilot and his passenger had taken off in Sainte-Véronique, in the Laurentians, to head towards the outfit. However, the weather had forced an emergency landing.
“For several minutes, the pilot looked for a safe place to bitter, without success. He then decided to put the aircraft in the trees, ”describes the BST, specifying that the passengers had not been injured.
At that time, “nothing in the forecasts suggested that the weather conditions encountered by the pilot would be those encountered on the way. The pilot’s decision to make the flight was therefore justified, ”said one.
– with the collaboration of Camille paying
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