Hundreds of mourners, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, attended a memorial service Thursday for the 17 people killed when a helicopter crashed off the coast of Newfoundland last week.
Rev. Edison Wiltshire told those in attendance there was "deep appreciation" from the families of the victims "that you are here," as he began the service at the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
"Your being here tonight does our hearts good," he said.
Archbishop Martin Currie called Newfoundlanders and Labradorians a "hard-working people" with a connection to the ocean. But added they're also familiar with the tragedy that can strike those who live off the sea.
"And many a Newfoundlander and Labradorian lies buried in a watery grave," he said.
The prime minister, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams and Lieutenant-Governor John Crosbie also attended the ceremony at the 154-year-old church in downtown St. John's.
"It was a wonderful service," Harper said as he left the church. "I hope it was a great comfort to all of the families. This is a tragedy that has touched people across the country."
Earlier in the day, Rev. Wiltshire, who helped organize the event, said he had been moved by the outpouring of support.
Like many of those in the local community, he had met one of the victims. It was during a recent trip to the Hibernia oil rig platform, where he thought he had arrived too late for dinner. He was about to buy a sandwich when a woman said she had saved a full plate of food for him.
It was Allison Maher, the only woman to later die in the crash. She sat with him while he ate and kept him company.
"What a tragedy we've lost her," Wiltshire told NTV News. "What a tragedy we've lost them all."
A host of officials and dignitaries, and the families and friends of those who were killed were also in attendance as the community comes to terms with the loss, said John Ridgley, an organizer of the event.
"I think the community as a whole is saying 'How can we let these families know that we care for them, that we support them, that we carry them, that we want to be there for them?'" Ridgley told NTV.
"They're just struggling with how to do that. We're hoping that tonight will allow people to gather and to say that to the families."
Recovery details
Only one person, 30-year-old Robert Decker, survived the crash. He is still in hospital recovering from injuries that include fractures and lung injuries.
Investigators have removed all 17 bodies from the crash site, using remote operated vehicles.
The helicopter's data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were also brought back, and could provide vital information about what happened in the minutes leading up to the deadly crash.
Mike Cunningham, the Transportation Safety Board's lead investigator in the crash, said the recorders are in good condition and are being taken to Ottawa for analysis.
Investigators are now trying to recover the fuselage of the helicopter from the ocean floor, where it rests 178 metres below the surface.
The Atlantic Osprey offshore supply vessel stayed on the site of the crash, about 65 kilometres from St. John's, overnight, as investigators tried to bring the fuselage to the surface.
The Sikorsky S-92 helicopter was ferrying workers between St. John's and an offshore oil platform when it reported mechanical troubles and turned back towards St. John's. About eight minutes later the helicopter went down.
