Four fatalities reported in helicopter crash near Montreal

Four people have died following a helicopter crash in Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville, a small town located 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Montreal, according to Quebec's provincial police. Emergency services responded to the scene shortly after 14:30 local time (19:30 BST) on Saturday, where they discovered the helicopter engulfed in flames and pronounced its occupants dead at the scene. The victims have not yet been identified, but Sergeant Audrey-Anne Bilodeau indicated that the helicopter appeared to be private. The Major Crime Unit of the Sûreté du Québec is leading the investigation into the crash, collaborating with crime scene technicians and investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The crash site is situated near Rang des Écossais road off Highway 10, as reported by Bilodeau. Police received an emergency call regarding a helicopter in distress that may have crashed and caught fire. An hour after the initial call, the fire was brought under control, although officials continued to work at the crash site until just before 22:00 local time (03:00 GMT). The identification of the victims is ongoing, and Sergeant Bilodeau noted that this process may take several days.