Several dead after plane crashes in northwest Canada

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FORT SMITH, Northwest Territories, Canada (AP) — Several people died after a chartered plane crashed Tuesday near the town of Fort Smith, a coroner’s office in Canada’s Northwest Territories said.

The Northwest Territories Coroners Service did not say how many people had died or provide further details, saying it had to first notify loved ones.

It was initially unknown how many people were on board the British Aerospace Jetstream plane registered to the Northwestern Air Lease company, according to the Canadian Transportation Safety Agency.

The airline’s website indicated it had two such planes in its fleet, which could carry up to 19 passengers.

Mining company Rio Tinto said several of its workers were traveling on the plane to its Diavik diamond mine, 300 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife.

“As a company we are absolutely devastated by this news and offer our full support to our people and the community who are grieving today,” the statement said.

The Health and Human Services Authority in the Northwest Territories in Fort Smith said it had activated its mass casualty protocol following the morning crash.

The town of Fort Smith is located 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles) northeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, near the border between Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

A company representative had no immediate comment but confirmed that it was a chartered plane.

The safety board said it had sent investigators to the scene.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Trenton confirmed that the military had responded when contact with the plane was lost shortly after takeoff near Fort Smith.

The Air Force, Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Rangers were participating in the search and rescue operation, said David Lavallee, public affairs officer for the search and rescue division in the Trenton region.

A CC-130H Hercules aircraft traveled to the scene from Calgary, Alberta, and a CC-130J Hercules had departed from Trenton, Ontario. In addition, a Twin Otter aircraft was sent from Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories.

“Canadian Rangers located the aircraft near the Slave River and (rescuers) parachuted to the scene,” Lavallee said.