Alberta man, 42, killed in helicopter accident near Nunavut's Hope Bay mine

A 42-year-old man working with a contract drilling firm from Prince George, B.C., was the victim of a helicopter accident in western Nunavut Tuesday.

It happened around 3 p.m. at an exploration drilling site about 13 kilometres from the Hope Bay gold mine, about 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay.

A safety officer at the mine told local RCMP that the helicopter had rolled on landing, killing an employee who was on the ground at the time.

An emergency response team at the site responded immediately, said Guy Gosselin, senior vice president of exploration with Agnico Eagle Mines.

No other injuries have been reported. Exploration activities in the area are temporarily suspended though operations at the mine "progressively resumed during the course of the day,"Gosselin said.

He said they're still investigating whether the death could have been avoided.

"We are very deeply sorry and offer our sympathy to the family of that man," he said.

The man was originally from Medicine Hat, Alta.

Police said they're investigating alongside the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the Office of the Chief Coroner.