Two individuals lost their lives in an aviation incident on Saturday morning in the Mount McDougall region of Kananaskis Country, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to CBC News. The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) disclosed that the crash occurred at 9:15 a.m. MT within Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park. The aircraft involved was identified as a Cirrus SR22 that departed from Springbank, Alberta, airport shortly after 8:50 a.m. MT en route to Campbell River, British Columbia.
Eyewitnesses at the Kananaskis Country Golf Course observed a plane experiencing apparent power loss before colliding with a mountainside, according to RCMP reports. Responders to the scene included Alberta conservation officers, park rangers, Kananaskis Mountain Rescue team members, and STARS personnel.
Recovery efforts for the victims and the aircraft are ongoing as per the RCMP, with challenging weather conditions and the crash site’s remote location impeding access, as noted by the TSB. The TSB has taken charge of the investigation.