2 dead after plane crashes near La Tuque, Que.

The Sûreté du Québec helicopter was used to recover the bodies of the two victims. Photo taken on Sunday, July 2, 2023. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) confirmed that the two people who were on board a small plane that crashed Sunday evening in Quebec’s Mauricie region have died.

The plane crashed around 5 p.m. in a wooded area near La Tuque, near Route 457, that is difficult to reach. A fire also broke out at the scene.

After local residents found the crashed aircraft, the SQ dispatched patrol officers who traveled to the crash site in an all-terrain vehicle.

“Unfortunately, the two victims were located and pronounced dead at the scene,” said Sgt. Camille Savoie, a spokesperson for the SQ.

A provincial police helicopter was used to recover the victims’ bodies.

On Monday morning, the cause of the crash was still unknown. The SQ is conducting an investigation to determine whether there is a criminal element in this case.

The coroner’s office is involved in order to determine the cause of death, while the Transportation Safety Board of Canada will investigate the circumstances that led to the crash.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 1, 2025.