30 July 2023 , 10:00
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Six people are dead after a plane mysteriously plunged into the Canadian mountains - sparking an investigation into the tragedy.
Police confirmed the incident took place west of Calgary in the Alberta mountains on Saturday morning after the aircraft took off on Friday night from Springbank Airport with a pilot and five passengers onboard.
The plane was headed for Salmon Arm, British Columbia when it was reported overdue by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario. Police say the centre contacted them about the plane at 1am on Saturday.
A Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules plane was dispatched to search for the missing aircraft and searchers located it on Mount Bogart, about 37 miles west of Calgary, by honing in on an emergency locator transmitter.
Police are investigating the mysterious crash (Youtube/Global News)The Hercules crew and Alberta Parks Mountain Rescue responders who were also dispatched to the scene confirmed there were no survivors. A Transportation Safety Board spokesman says the aircraft was a single-engine Piper PA-32, and the board is investigating the crash.
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The crash comes just weeks after a Cessna C550 business jet, burst into flames upon impact, killing six passengers near French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California.
Authorities named the victims as the pilots, Riese Lenders, 25, of Rancho Palos Verdes, and 32-year-old Manuel Vargas-Regalado of Temecula, as well as his wife, 33-year-old Abigail Tellez-Vargas. Ibrahem Razick, 46, who goes by Abe, and 51-year-old Alma Razick of Temecula and Lindsey Gleiche, 31, of Huntington Beach, were also killed.
An investigation is being launched after the plane crashed into the mountains (Getty Images/500px)Friends and family remembered Riese Lenders, the 26-year-old pilot, and expressed their grief over the loss. One social media post read, "RIP Riese Lenders, we were just getting going young blood! You went out this morning doing what you loved, and truly mad you stoked daily. You will be remembered as my friend, my pilot, and one hell of a great man!"
Riese social media accounts showed his love for the outdoors, with posts featuring his adventures in skiing, surfing, and camping.
"You will be remembered as my friend, my pilot and one hell of a great man! So fun and so in tune with life. You were a pleasure to be around," another read.
The plane crashed into the rocky mountains of Alberta, Canada (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the pilot had informed air traffic control of a "missed approach," a procedure used when the runway is not clearly visible. Preliminary information suggests that the plane crashed short of the intended destination during its second approach.
Upon arriving at the crash site, authorities discovered the aircraft fully engulfed in flames. Unfortunately, all six occupants were pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate the incident, working in conjunction with the NTSB to determine the cause of the fatal crash.