Four killed in helicopter crash near Montreal

Four people killed in helicopter crash near Montreal

Four people have died after a helicopter crashed in a small town 50km (31 miles) from Montreal, Quebec provincial police told the BBC.

Emergency crews were dispatched to Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville shortly after 14:30 local time (19:30 BST) on Saturday afternoon, where they found the aircraft burning and pronounced its occupants dead at the scene.

The victims have not yet been identified, but the aircraft appeared to be a private helicopter, Sergeant Audrey-Anne Bilodeau said.

The crash is being investigated by the Major Crime Unit of the Sûreté du Québec, alongside crime scene technicians and investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

According to Bilodeau, the crash site is near Rang des Écossais road off Highway 10.

Police were alerted in an emergency call to a helicopter in distress that may have crashed and caught fire.

About an hour later, the fire at the scene had been brought under control, though officials were still working at the crash site just before 22:00 local time (03:00 GMT).

The victims have still not been identified, and Sergeant Audrey-Anne Bilodeau said the process could "take a few days."