ST-HENRI-DE-TAILLON, QUE.: Quebec provincial police search-and-rescue teams scoured the frigid waters of the Lac-Saint-Jean region on Wednesday for five missing French tourists, the day after a group of snowmobilers who were travelling off-trail plunged into the water. Earlier in the day, Sgt. Hugues Beaulieu said the tourists and their guide were travelling between St-Henri-de-Taillon and Alma when the ice gave way.

One person was taken to hospital after being pulled from the water by two other members of the group, who made it to a nearby convenience store and alerted authorities at around 7:30 p.m.

Police said 42-year-old Benoit L’Esperance of Montreal — who was serving as a guide to a group of eight French tourists — died several hours after being admitted to hospital Tuesday night. Three members of the group reached safety.

However, search efforts were complicated on Wednesday afternoon when one of two provincial police helicopters involved in the search crashed near the scene.

Source: BBC News