The management at the French-language television network TVA says the helicopter crash that injured pilot Antoine Leger and journalist Rejean Leveille has deeply shaken everyone in the newsroom.

"The entire TVA family is in shock," said Serge Fortin, TVA's vice-president of information and public affairs.

The two men suffered fractures, cuts and other injuries Wednesday when their news chopper crash-landed near the Bonaventure expressway.

Fortin said everyone is relieved that the two men survived the early-morning crash, which left the helicopter in a twisted wreck.

"Our priority is the health of Rejean and Antoine. We are very happy that their lives are not in danger, even though their injuries are serious," Fortin said.

Fortin noted that Leveille has been a TVA employee for 20 years, and that Leger has worked for the station since it began using the news helicopter in 2005.

A team of psychologists is available for any employees who are distressed by the accident, he added.

Fortin described the helicopter as a total loss, but refused to comment on whether it would be replaced, saying that is the least of his concerns at this time.

The helicopter was completely overhauled last summer, he said.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and Montreal police are investigating to determine the cause of the accident.

The wreckage will be sent to Ottawa for analysis and it could take up to a year before the findings are released.

Pilot, journalist "very lucky"

Leger and Leveille might require surgery for "orthopedic injuries", said Jean Troquet, chief of the emergency room at the Montreal General Hospital.

"It's an extremely major accident," Dr. Troquet told reporters outside the hospital.

"When a flying vehicle crashes, it's high fatality usually...both are very lucky and we're very happy about that."

Flying low

Around 7:30 a.m., Montreal police received calls about a helicopter that was losing altitude. Witnesses say they saw a chopper flying awkwardly near the Mercier Bridge towards Montreal.

K 103 traffic reporter Jenny Kjono told CTV Montreal she heard a rumbling sound inside the radio station's Kahnawake studio minutes before the crash.

"It was just flying low...it flew right over our building and it was heading right over the river," Kjono said.

The pilot tried and failed to land on a helipad at Mel's Cite du Cinema, a massive sound stage in the industrial district between the Champlain and Victoria bridges.

He managed to guide the chopper down into an area adjacent to the Bonaventure. The helicopter was severely damaged on impact and the helicopter's rotor blade could be seen across the highway.

Cite du Cinema owner Michel Trudel said he saw the aftermath of the crash.

"I thought it was a car accident and when I saw the helicopter logo, LCN, I said 'Oh my god, they just crashed,' " he said.

Trapped

The pilot was able to exit the helicopter by himself. Leveille was trapped for about an hour before firefighters managed to extract him with mechanical jaws.

The rescuers pumped heat into the helicopter and covered Leveille with blankets to keep him warm in the frigid temperatures.

He was conscious and speaking with emergency personnel as he was transported to the Montreal General, but he was complaining of lower-body pain.

Leveille stays strong

Leveille reports from the chopper and also co-anchors the weekend show on LCN, TVA's all-news channel.

Staff at TVA maintained their composure on air as they reported on the crash. Reporter Felix Seguin said he met a paramedic who was taken aback by Leveille's cool demeanor as he was loaded into an ambulance.

"The paramedic that was with him at the moment just told me when he met Rejean at the crash site, the first thing that he (said) was 'Hi man, how are you?'"

The paramedic then said "Wow, this man is strong," Seguin added.

Seguin described Leveille as a funny person, with great people skills.

"Rejean is the friend of almost everyone at the station...he's a guy who really listens, who's not phony. Rejean is that kind of guy."