A Canadian radio host was killed in a helicopter crash in Quebec that claimed four lives, as his girlfriend watched the aircraft come down from the ground. Gabriel Jasmin, 29, died in the province's largest region minutes after pilot Suzanne Jutras took to the skies. Chantal Raymond and her son Loucas Perreault also lost their lives in the disaster. Jasmin worked as a radio host for Énergie 106.1 and was spending his day off with his family.
Birthday celebration turns to tragedy
The three passengers were all celebrating Ms Raymond's birthday when the helicopter plummeted and caught fire in a field near Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, but all four people on board were pronounced dead at the scene.
Océane Perreault, Jasmin's partner who shares a one-year-old daughter with the DJ, paid tribute to him. She confirmed she lost not only her boyfriend but her mother and brother in the crash, which she watched unfold.
Heartbreaking tribute from partner
"Three people I love more than anything are gone far too soon, right before my eyes - I have no words to describe the pain, the shock, and the emptiness I feel," she wrote in French on Facebook. She called Jasmin the love of her life and "the best dad in the world," before describing her mother as "her rock, her comfort, her home," while her brother, she said, was her "partner-in-crime."
She added: "Hold your loved ones a little tighter. Tell them you love them. Call the people you miss. Cherish the little moments, the fits of laughter, the ordinary days. And above all, stop worrying about the small stuff. Because, in the end, the people we love are what matter most."
Pilot's experience and investigation
The helicopter's pilot, 50, reportedly had more than 500 hours of flying experience, and her partner Yves Boulais said she had been carrying out her second trip of the day when the aircraft fell from the sky. She regularly offered helicopter rides and had previously flown visitors at the Les Félixeries festival in Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey.
The radio station announced his death on Sunday and offered condolences to Océane, their daughter, and Gabriel's family, friends and colleagues. Chantal's husband Martin Perreault also paid tribute to his wife of almost 40 years, their son Loucas, and son-in-law Gabriel, describing Loucas as his "pride" and Gabriel as an "extraordinary father."
The Quebec coroner's office confirmed it is examining the circumstances surrounding the four deaths. Steven MacKinnon, Canada's Transport Minister, said officials were monitoring the investigation.
