Canada's Department of National Defense has confirmed that a Canadian is one of nine international peacekeepers killed in the plane crash that happened Sunday in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

The victim is Cpl. Benoit Chevalier from Three Wing Bagotville in Quebec. "He was one of a team of six air traffic controllers deployed to provide flight following services for the MFO (the Multinational Forces and Observers)," the department said in a news release Sunday.

A DHC-6 Twin Otter transport aircraft of the MFO's French contingent went down Sunday morning, killing all nine personnel on board, MFO announced earlier.

Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have offered their condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of Chevalier on Sunday, as well as to those of the eight French military personnel.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Corporal Benoit Chevalier," Harper said in a statement.

The Multinational Force and Observers is an independent mission monitoring the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty. Twenty-eight Canadian Forces personnel are part of the multi-national force, which is also comprised of soldiers from the U.S., Australia and other countries.

Source: Xinhua