Two men were seriously injured after an ultralight float plane crashed into the Ottawa River shortly after takeoff early Saturday afternoon, police say.

Previous Next The crash happened at about 12:30 p.m. off du Fer à Cheval Road on the Quebec side of the river, near Gatineau's Masson-Angers neighbourhood.

A 71-year-old pilot instructor was flying the ultralight float plane at the time, said Gatineau police spokesman Sgt. Jean-Paul Le May, and a 27-year-old student was in the passenger seat.

The two men were taking a ride and were not in a lesson.

They had just taken off when the plane rapidly descended.

'My son jumped in the water and saved [them]'

Lorraine Maisonneuve and her family were out boating in two boats when they saw the float plane take off.

"I was planning to take a picture to show to my grandchildren, and then the plane just turned around and went nose-[first] in the water," Maisonneuve said.

Daniel Maisonneuve jumped into the river to help rescue two men from a float plane that crashed on Saturday. (CBC News) "I was glad that it didn't hit my son's boat because it was so close. And then my son jumped in the water and saved the two people," she said.

Daniel Maisonneuve said the plane was flying about 30 metres above his boat when it nose-dived into the water nearby. He said he jumped in the water to help the two men get out of the plane.

"They were in pretty rough shape with head injuries. You name it — everything you would expect from a plane crash," he said.

The two men suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and were taken to hospital, Gatineau police said.

Lorraine Maisonneuve says she's proud of her son for acting quickly to help the two men. (CBC News) The float plane later sank.

"We have reason to believe that the quick response from the boaters certainly helped the two passengers of the plane, but we're still at a stage where we're collecting information, so we don't know the impact of this help they received," Le May said.

Lorraine Maisonneuve said she's proud of her son's actions.

"I'm very proud and very surprised that he [spontaneously did] such a thing," she said.