Two of the three survivors of Saturday’s plane crash in Nunavut are recovering in Ottawa hospitals.
A seven-year-old girl was admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
“She is recovering quite well and she was able to speak to the grandpa who lives here in Iqaluit,” her uncle Terry Audla told Sun News Network Sunday.
The girl is reportedly a granddaughter of former Resolute Bay mayor and businessman Aziz Kheraj.
Meanwhile, a 48-year-old man is being treated at the Ottawa Hospital, spokesman Nicolas Ruszkowski confirmed.
The pair were airlifted for treatment and a third survivor, a 23-year-old woman, is in hospital in Iqaluit. All three are in stable condition, according to the RCMP.
On Saturday, 12 of 15 people — including all four crew members — aboard a First Air Boeing 737-200 died when the plane crashed into a hill as it was approaching the runway in Resolute Bay.
Victims’ names are not being released, First Air vice-president of marketing and sales Chris Ferris said during a brief press conference outside the company’s Kanata headquarters Sunday.
“Our first priority has been contacting and looking after the families and families of the crew,” said an emotional Ferris.
Audla said the tight-knit community of about 200 residents is still weak in the knees.
“There’s a lot of people that were involved in the actual recovery and rescue efforts,” he said, adding the tragedy is affecting everyone in Resolute Bay.
Ferris told reporters a critical incident field team, including counsellors, has been deployed to provide support to families and staff.
Investigators are probing the cause of the crash.
-With files from Daniel Proussalidis
kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca
@ottawasunkroche
http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/08/21/plane-crash-victims-taken-to-ottawa
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