The Drummondville, Quebec community is mourning Chantal Raymond, who died alongside three others in a helicopter crash in the Montérégie region on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Raymond was traveling with her son, Loucas Perreault, and her son-in-law, Gabriel Jasmin, when the helicopter went down in a field in Sainte-Brigide-d’Iberville, southeast of Montreal.
The pilot, Suzanne Jutras, was also killed.
Family members later revealed that the helicopter flight had been planned as part of a celebration for Chantal Raymond’s birthday, turning what was intended to be a joyful family occasion into an overwhelming loss.
What Happened to Chantal Raymond?
The fatal crash occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. on September 26.
According to the Sûreté du Québec, the helicopter came down in a field in Sainte-Brigide-d’Iberville, a municipality in Quebec’s Montérégie region about 50 kilometres southeast of Montreal.
Emergency crews responded to the scene, where the aircraft had caught fire.
All four people aboard were pronounced dead.
Investigators have not yet released a final explanation for why the aircraft crashed.
Early reporting indicated that the helicopter may have encountered difficulties before coming down, but the precise sequence of events remains under investigation.
Who Was Chantal Raymond?
Chantal Raymond was a Drummondville resident and mother whose death has had a profound impact on her family.
Public family records identify her as the daughter of Gaston Raymond and Nicole Leclair.
An obituary published earlier in 2026 for her father, Gaston Raymond, listed Chantal as his daughter and identified Martin Perreault as her partner. It also named her children, including Océane Perreault and Loucas Perreault.
Those family connections became especially heartbreaking after the helicopter crash, which claimed Chantal’s life along with her son Loucas and her daughter Océane’s partner, Gabriel Jasmin.
Birthday Helicopter Ride Ended in Tragedy
One of the most painful details to emerge after the crash was the reason behind the flight.
Chantal, Loucas and Gabriel had boarded the helicopter as part of a birthday outing for Chantal.
Océane Perreault later confirmed through a public tribute that the three members of her family were aboard the aircraft when it crashed.
She described losing her mother, brother and partner in the same incident, leaving her family facing three devastating losses at once.
The crash therefore affected not only several individual families but an entire interconnected family circle.
Chantal Raymond’s Son Loucas Perreault Also Killed
Chantal’s son, Loucas Perreault, was another passenger aboard the helicopter.
Local Drummondville reporting confirmed that both mother and son were residents of the area.
The loss of two members of the same immediate family has deepened the grief surrounding the crash.
For relatives, friends and community members, the tragedy means remembering Chantal and Loucas together while also supporting those left behind.
Son-in-Law Gabriel Jasmin Among the Victims
The third passenger was Gabriel Jasmin, Chantal’s son-in-law and the partner of her daughter, Océane Perreault.
Jasmin, 29, worked in radio and was known to listeners through his role with Énergie in Sherbrooke. He had also previously worked in broadcasting in Drummondville.
He and Océane shared a young daughter.
His death has generated tributes from colleagues in Quebec broadcasting, adding another community to those affected by the crash.
Pilot Suzanne Jutras Also Remembered
The helicopter was being flown by Suzanne Jutras, who also died in the accident.
Local reporting described Jutras as an experienced pilot with hundreds of hours of flying time.
She was also known in the region for offering helicopter rides at community events, including activities in Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey.
Her death has prompted separate tributes from people who knew her through aviation and local community events.
Investigation Into Quebec Helicopter Crash
The Sûreté du Québec Major Crimes Unit became involved in the investigation following the crash.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada was also notified and dispatched investigators, as it is responsible for examining aviation accidents and determining contributing safety factors.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, available flight information, weather conditions, maintenance history and other evidence that could help establish why the helicopter went down.
No final cause of the crash has yet been announced.
Drummondville Community Mourns Three Residents
The tragedy has been felt particularly strongly in Drummondville, where Chantal Raymond, Loucas Perreault and Gabriel Jasmin all had ties.
Local reports described all three as members of the Drummondville community.
A single crash therefore resulted in the loss of multiple people connected through both family and community life.
As news spread across Quebec, friends, relatives and acquaintances began sharing messages of sympathy and remembrance.
A Family Confronting Multiple Losses
Perhaps no one has been more directly affected than Océane Perreault.
In one afternoon, she lost her mother, her brother and her partner.
Her public tribute described the shock and emptiness created by the deaths and emphasized how suddenly life can change.
The loss also leaves Chantal’s granddaughter without her grandmother and father, underscoring the lasting impact the crash will have across generations of the family.
Funeral and Memorial Arrangements
At the time of publication, a verified public obituary containing Chantal Raymond’s funeral, visitation or burial arrangements had not yet been widely released.
Because the crash occurred only on September 26, the family may still be making arrangements while coping with multiple deaths.
Any memorial details should be confirmed through the family or an authorized Quebec funeral provider once they are announced.
Remembering Chantal Raymond
While public attention has understandably centered on the helicopter crash, Chantal Raymond’s life should not be remembered only through the circumstances of her death.
She was a mother, partner, daughter and grandmother whose family bonds were clearly central to her life.
The birthday outing on September 26 was itself evidence of those close relationships—a family spending time together to mark an important personal occasion.
Instead, that celebration became an unimaginable tragedy.
For those closest to Chantal, her memory will live through decades of family experiences that existed long before the crash: birthdays, gatherings, conversations and ordinary moments shared between generations.
The deaths of Chantal Raymond, Loucas Perreault, Gabriel Jasmin and Suzanne Jutras have left several Quebec communities grieving while investigators continue working to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
As the Drummondville community remembers Chantal, condolences continue to surround her surviving family during an extraordinarily difficult period.