Cause of the crash remains unknown
RCMP have recovered the body of a crane operator three weeks after his vehicle went off a bridge into a northern Alberta river, in an incident that federal, not provincial, occupational health and safety (OHS) investigators will examine.
The crane went over the Wapiti River Bridge on Highway 40, near Range Road 704 just south of Grande Prairie, Alta., on the morning of June 16.
Emergency crews were notified at 9:10 a.m. that the crane had gone over the bridge, and police, fire crews, and search and rescue volunteers responded to the scene, COS previously reported.
RCMP and divers were unable to recover the operator's body at the time because currents were too strong, according to a CTV News report.
"The current is too strong," Cpl. Mathew Howell, a public information officer with K Division RCMP, said at the time, as quoted by Culture Alberta. In place of an immediate dive search, police said they planned to deploy sonar technology the following week to locate the submerged crane and the worker inside it, Canadian Occupational Safety reported.
CTV News reported that the cause of the crash remains unknown and is under investigation. RCMP have not released further detail on why the crane left the roadway.
Employer identified, community responds
The worker was an employee of J.D.A. Ventures, according to a previous report. Police have not separately confirmed the worker's identity.
Oliver's Funeral Home & Crematorium posted a message of condolence on Facebook following the crash, according to Canadian Occupational Safety. "Our hearts and thoughts are with J.D.A and everyone affected by yesterday's tragic events," the post read. "On behalf of our staff, we are holding all those impacted close in our thoughts during this incredibly difficult time."
CTV News reported that the crane itself remains in the river, with recovery work ongoing. RCMP have asked the public to keep drones and boats away from the site while that work continues.
