6 dead, 1 airlifted to hospital following plane crash in northern Canada

Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Six people were killed and one survivor was airlifted to the hospital following an airplane crash in northern Canada's Northwest Territories, officials said.

The Northwestern Air Lease plane crashed Tuesday near Fort Smith as it was en route from the town of some 2,600 people along Alberta's northern border to the Diavik Diamond Mine, which is located about 125 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

Northwest Territories coroner Garth Eggenberger announced the death toll Wednesday in a statement, saying the deceased included four passengers and two crew.

The sole survivor was taken to the Fort Smith Health Center before being medevaced to Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories.

All next of kin have been notified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, according to the coroner, who said they will be working to gain access to the crash site to start the recovery process.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to all those affected by yesterday's tragic event," Northwestern Air said in a statement published to its Facebook account on Wednesday.

"Please give everyone time to grieve the loss of our treasured coworkers, friends, family and community members. During this difficult period let us be there for each other so we can get through this together."

Northwestern Air Lease operates out of Fort Smith and provides daily flights and chartered services for Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

Rio Tinto, the operator of the diamond mine, said it had chartered the flight, and that the five passengers on board were its employees.

"We are feeling numb with the devastating news that we have lost dear friends and colleagues," Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said in a statement.

"I extend our deepest sympathy to the families, friends and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy."

Stausholm said he will be heading to the Northwest Territories to offer support.

"We will be working closely with authorities over the coming days, weeks and months, to support their efforts to understand the full facts of what has happened," he said.

The incident is being investigated by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which has identified the involved aircraft as a British Aerospace Jetstream.

The TSB described the crash in a preliminary report sent to UPI as an "accident" that occurred at 6:42 a.m. Tuesday.

"Shortly after take-off on Runway 30, the aircraft collided with terrain," the report reads. "There was a post impact fire and the aircraft was destroyed."

Four TBS investigators were deployed to the site on Wednesday and are currently in the field phase of their investigation, the agency told UPI in a statement.

"Investigators will collect data, conduct witness interviews, examine and photograph the wreckage and the accident site," it said.

The local health and social services authority activated its mass casualty protocol at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday following the crash.

The legislative assembly of the Northwest Territories has ordered all legislative assembly flags to be flown at half-mast in respect for the lives lost in the crash.

"This is devastating for Fort Smith and the Territory as a whole," Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Speaker Shane Thompson said Wednesday in a statement. "We all will grieve this loss together. This tragedy will have a lasting impact on all our friends and family across the NWT."

A candle vigil has been organized for Wednesday night at St. Joseph's Cathedral.

"The recent loss of many of our friends or family members on a flight to the diamond mine has hit all of us very hard," the vigil notice states. "That's why we gather tonight. We can comfort each other by prayer, song and our heartfelt thoughts."