An octogenarian lost his life on Monday when the semi-trailer truck he was driving ended up in the Manouane River after swerving on a bridge, near the Atikamekw community of Wemotaci, in Mauricie.
Updated yesterday at 10:23 p.m.
The accident took place around 8 a.m. on forest road 461, which connects the municipality of La Tuque to the Wemotaci reserve, in Haute-Mauricie.
The truck, which was carrying stones, reportedly veered off the road as it crossed the bridge before ending up nose first in the river and coming to a standstill.
Emergency services, including firefighters, police and tugs, moved on Monday to rescue the driver. This one, an octogenarian, was extricated from the vehicle at the end of the day on Monday. His death was found at the scene, said Hélène Saint-Pierre, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec. The road was also closed in the area to assess the structure of the bridge before being reopened to traffic.
The truck has been towed and expertise will be carried out on the vehicle. An investigation is also still underway to determine the circumstances of the tragedy.