Helicopter company pays tribute to late pilot Tom Frith

Great Slave Helicopters described pilot Tom Frith as a “beacon of light” as the company confirmed he was the individual who lost their life in last Friday’s accident in Fort Good Hope.

In a written tribute published online, the company said Tom had been “beloved by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

“As we navigate this time of sorrow, let us hold on to the memories of Tom – his smile, laughter, the love, and the countless ways he made our lives better. His legacy will live on in his beautiful young family and the hearts of all who knew him,” the company wrote.

Tom, originally from Australia, joined Great Slave Helicopters in 2018. He and his wife have two young children.

“Our heart felt condolences to Tom’s wife, children, parents, brothers and all extended family and friends in Yellowknife and Australia,” the company’s tribute continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. May you find solace in the love and strength Tom shared with us all.”

The TSB said the incident took place at Fort Good Hope’s airport. A Bell Textron B212 operated by Great Slave Helicopters was involved. NWT Fire said the helicopter was taking part in wildfire management operations.

Wildfire VQ001 has been burning next to Fort Good Hope for weeks. The community has been under an evacuation order since June 15.

“The team was finally able to access the site on Sunday and our investigators have been collecting data and conducting interviews at Great Slave Helicopters Monday and Tuesday,” a TSB spokesperson said by email on Tuesday.

NWT chief coroner Garth Eggenberger said an autopsy will now take place in Edmonton.

So far, no detail has been confirmed regarding the nature of Friday’s incident.

“Our thoughts are with the pilot’s family, friends and colleagues in the wake of this tragedy. Our hearts are broken by the loss of a member of our wildfire family,” NWT Fire’s Mike Westwick wrote in a statement from the wildfire agency after this article was first published.

“The ripples of these events spread far and wide in the firefighting community in the NWT, Canada and beyond, given the close and interwoven personal connections formed over many years. Our priority above all else is our team’s wellness.

“A critical incident debriefing team was immediately dispatched to the site and counselling is available to members of our wildfire management team to help them process this incident. We have also ensured that any staff or contractors, regardless of which worksite they were at across the NWT, who needed time off from work were given that opportunity.”

Westwick said NWT Fire is supporting the investigation and any lessons “will be applied to all of our wildfire operations going forward.”

“The safety of our firefighters and all of our wildfire management team is our highest priority, and we will continue to take every measure across the organization to put safety first,” he wrote.

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