Plane Crash in North Spirit Lake - First Nations Community Needs Help

Donations accepted at Keewaytinook Okimakanak Community Initiatives (KOCI)

NORTH SPIRIT LAKE, ON, Jan. 11, 2012 /CNW/ - A Piper Navajo plane leaving from Winnipeg crashed yesterday morning near the remote northwestern Ontario community of North Spirit Lake, killing four of its five passengers. Witnesses are working with authorities to determine the cause of the crash however the plane was on its landing approach when it slammed into a frozen lake and caught fire, Peter Hildebrand of the Transportation Safety Board told media yesterday.

With limited emergency resources, members of the North Spirit Lake First Nation Community worked together to put out the fire and rescue the survivor.  Among the deceased  was community member and North Spirit Lake band worker, Martha Campbell.  In a community of only 466 residents, the tragic death of a community member and sudden event such as this has rippling effects.

Keewaytinook Okimakanak Community Initiatives (KOCI) is accepting donations on behalf of the Campbell family and community members for funeral costs and grief counseling.  Please give generously by visiting KOCI's web page on CanadaHelps.org or visit our website at www.knet.ca to help the people of North Spirit Lake. Alternatively, you can download a donation application from the website and mail the form and cheque to:

Keewaytinook Okimakanak Community Initiatives (KOCI)
P.O. Box 340, 8 Mine Road
Balmertown, ON P0V 1C0

Keewaytinook Okimakanak Community Initiatives (KOCI) is a charitable foundation serving North Spirit Lake, Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Keewaywin, McDowell Lake, and Poplar Hill First Nations.

For further information:

Brian Walmark 1.877.737.5638 ext. 1261
[e-mail]