The incident occurred in Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary, and involved an aircraft carrying five passengers and a pilot. The plane departed from Springbank Airport near Calgary on Friday night and was headed to Salmon Arm, British Columbia. However, contact with the aircraft was lost at around 9.30 pm local time.
After the plane was reported overdue, a search operation was initiated by a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron based in Winnipeg. The searchers located the crash site on Mount Bogart, about 60 km west of Calgary, using an emergency locator transmitter.
Unfortunately, all six people on board the aircraft were found deceased, according to RCMP staff sergeant Ryan Singleton. The recovery of the bodies was challenging due to the difficult terrain, but the RCMP and Alberta Parks Mountain Rescue successfully completed the operation.
The names of the victims have not been disclosed yet, and the Transport Safety Board of Canada is conducting an investigation into the crash. The aircraft involved was identified as a single-engine Piper PA-32, as stated by a Transportation Safety Board spokesperson.
The crash is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.