Hundreds of people gathered in Humboldt, Sask., Sunday night to mourn those killed and injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
A vigil organized by the Saskatchewan government began at 7 p.m. CST from the Elgar Petersen Arena, home of the Broncos junior league hockey team.
Fifteen people died from the Friday collision between a bus carrying the Broncos and a tractor trailer. Another fourteen were injured.
A man is comforted as he looks at photographs prior to a vigil on Sunday at the Elgar Petersen Arena, home of the Humboldt Broncos, to honour the victims of a fatal bus accident.(Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press)
“We will get through this,” Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench said to a packed arena dotted with people wearing the green-and-yellow Broncos jersey, including Muench himself.
Hundreds pack the arena for the vigil, many of them wearing a Humboldt Broncos jersey.(CBC)
“To use a hockey analogy, we’ll stickhandle our way through this and hopefully we won’t have to dump it in the corner and we’ll get to the net,” said Muench.
Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench said it was the biggest gathering of people to ever assemble in the arena.(CBC)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe are at the rink, though neither will make comments.
The ceremony, expected to last about 45 minutes, will include hymns, reading from scripture and music.
Hundreds of people lined up to enter the arena before doors opened to the public at 6 p.m. CST.
People line up to attend the vigil held at the Humboldt hockey arena Sunday night.(Charles Hamilton/CBC)
Coach’s Corner co-host Don Cherry was there.
Coach’s Corner co-host Don Cherry speaks to media outside the arena.(Charles Hamilton/CBC)
An overflow room for the event had already filled up by 6:30 p.m. CST.
‘We’re with you, we’re behind you’
Muench said his phone has been flooded with calls and texts from complete strangers offering the community support in the wake of the crash.
“Just a number and an area code from I don’t even know where saying, ‘We’re with you, we’re behind you, here’s a poem I wrote, here’s a song.”
Muench’s phone rang several times during a press conference held Sunday to announce details of the vigil.
Flowers crown the centre ice at Humboldt’s Elgar Petersen Arena ahead of the vigil.(Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press)
