4 on board at time of helicopter crash east of Camrose: officials

A helicopter carrying workers conducting a wildlife survey crashed east of Camrose, Alta. on Sunday morning with four people on board.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported there was one pilot and three passengers aboard a red Bell 206B helicopter when it crashed in a wooded area around 9:45 a.m. north of Daysland.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says three of its members were on board at the time. The union says they were conducting aerial surveys to count deer and moose as part of a wildlife management survey for Alberta Environment and Parks.

“Our hearts are broken for these workers,” said AUPE's Bonnie Gostola. "No worker should have to worry about whether they’re going to make it home at the end of a shift.”

STARS Air Ambulance spokesperson Deborah Tetley said crews were called at 10:07 a.m and dispatched two air ambulance helicopters to the scene.

The crews aided with extrication, then helped the waiting ground ambulances assess the patients before transporting them via STARS.

A 46-year-old man was taken to the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton and a 43-year-old woman to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, both with traumatic injuries.

Alberta Health Services ground ambulances took the other two patients. They were said to have "serious injuries." 

Emergency crews from the Flagstaff Regional Emergency Services Society also responded and provided support to STARS. Manager Derek Homme told CTV News his crews blocked traffic on the rural roads near Daysland but were not needed to help extricate any passengers.

TSB investigators were on scene Monday looking into the cause of the crash.

Flagstaff County is about 192 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.