Human remains found at site of plane crash

Aircraft went down in November on its way to Edmonton from Penticton

RCMP say remains have been found at the site where a plane crashed 10 months ago in southeastern British Columbia on its way to Edmonton.

Mounties in Revelstoke say the coroner is now trying to determine if the remains are human and whether they match either of the people aboard the single-engine plane when it went down on Nov .25, 2017.

Staff Sgt. Kurt Grabinsky says in a release that the downed plane is the white and burgundy Mooney aircraft that vanished last fall on a flight to Edmonton from Penticton.

Pilot Dominic Neron, of Spruce Grove, who was 28, and his 31-yearold girlfriend Ashley Bourgeault, a mother of three from Edmonton, were aboard but a nine-day search following the crash failed to find any trace of them or the plane.

RCMP say the wreckage was found in Glacier National Park, about 60 km northeast of Revelstoke but only a short distance from the Trans-Canada Highway.

Police completed a survey of the heavily wooded scene on Tuesday and Grabinsky says little was left of the small aircraft.

“The plane had significant structural damage, and showed clear signs of a sudden and traumatic impact,” he says in the release.

The crash site was spotted by the crew of an ambulance service helicopter on Monday as they returned from an unrelated call and were flying fairly low because of poor conditions in the Rogers Pass area.

Clear weather and “a split-second glimpse of something” that didn’t belong among the trees helped critical care paramedic Randy McLeod spot the mangled fuselage.

He says there had been regular discussions among the helicopter crew about the missing plane so he was immediately curious about the sighting.

Neron’s sister, Tammy Neron, posted a note on her Facebook site on Tuesday after being contacted by police saying the discovery meant her birthday wish came true.

“Our families cannot thank each and every one of you enough for embracing us during what’s been the hardest 10 months of our lives,” she said.

Neron thanked police, search and rescue officials and everyone involved in looking for the aircraft.

A crashed plane that carried Dominic Neron, 28, of Spruce Grove and Ashley Bourgeault, 31, of Edmonton has been located in southeastern B.C. Police said Wednesday there were remains inside the aircraft.