Grief and Resilience in Island Lake After Tragic Floatplane Crash

By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun The hum of floatplanes has long been heard during autumn in Island Lake. Families head out on the water to reach traplines and hunting grounds, preparing for the long winter. But this season, the familiar sound carries a weight of sorrow. On September 13, a floatplane carrying five people crashed near Makepeace Lake, about 40 kilometres south of St. Theresa Point First Nation. Four passengers, two men, ages 53 and 49, and two women, both 50, all from St. Theresa Point, were killed. The 20-year-old pilot survived with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. News of the tragedy rippled quickly through the Island Lake communities, where nearly every family has a connection to those lost. For many, the plane was not just a…

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