Jonathan Leduc and his brother Eric both served in Afghanistan's perilous theatre of war as Canadian soldiers.

After returning from their separate tours of duty, they had been settling back into their lives in Canada, looking forward to the future.

On Tuesday, however, the brothers were killed when their car crashed into a ditch near Quebec City, an accident that has jolted family members and shaken their hometown of Ste-Anne-de-la-Perade.

"It's very tough to lose two people," their cousin, Sebastien Lepine said. "Jonathan and Eric were two members of the Leduc family who were very present, very important for us, and their deaths are very tough for everybody."

Provincial police said their car careened off the road around 4 a.m. after its driver, Eric, lost control. Jonathan was ejected.

Gagne said police haven't determined if alcohol was a factor.

Eric, 25, was a member of the 12e Regiment blinde du Canada. He returned from Afghanistan in the spring following a seven-month tour.

Jonathan, 22, spent nine months as an infantryman in Afghanistan in 2006 with the Royal 22nd Regiment -- also known as the Van Doos.

Lepine said the brothers were both working for the military at CFB Valcartier and had moved in together in the Quebec City borough of Ste-Foy-Sillery.