Small plane that crashed near Smithers carried crew contracted by BC Wildfire Service

SMITHERS — Three men who died in a small plane crash northeast of Smithers on Saturday were part of a crew contracted by the BC Wildfire Service to do aerial imaging.

Another person was sent to the hospital.

Kevin Skrepnek, B.C.’s chief fire information officer, says in a statement that thoughts and sympathies go to the families and friends of those involved.

RCMP Sgt. Darren Durnin says the crash site was located by helicopter search crews in Babine River Corridor Provincial Park and a conscious male passenger was seen outside the plane, but the landscape made it impossible to get him out.

Durnin says in a statement that a rescue technician was lowered at another location and walked to the site where it was discovered a pilot and two passengers had died.

RELATED: Three dead in plane crash near Smithers

The survivor was rescued by helicopter using a long line, then transported to medical care and police say he is in stable condition.

The bodies of the three men who didn’t survive have been recovered and both the BC Coroners Service and Transportation Safety Board (TSB) are investigating.

Eric Collard with the TSB says the crash site is in a difficult location. “It’s a fairly remote site, from the early indications, so it’s actually adding another layer of complexity to our deployment.”

“[There are] a few more challenges. Some areas have limited coverage, in terms of cell reception. So, it just adds a little more to the deployment and the information gathering.”

The TSB will speak with those involved, gather evidence from the crash site and look at the plane’s maintenance history, as they try to determine why the plane went down.

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