2 people dead, 2 injured in plane crash near Tofino, B.C.

Two people have died and two others injured after a plane crash near the coast of Vancouver Island.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says a civilian aircraft went down 16 nautical miles northwest of the Tofino airport around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Cpl. Alex Berube, a media relations officer with BC RCMP said a private flight with four people on board crashed into a remote area, and Mounties responded to the area by boat.

"The RCMP is now working alongside the Transportation Safety Board and the BC Coroners Service to determine the cause of this incident," Berube said, adding that anyone with information should contact Nootka Sound RCMP.

Mounties are notifying next of kin.

The Quest Kodiak 100, an amphibious floatplane, was en route from Masset to Tofino when it crashed into land.

The TSB says four people were on board, but could not comment on the nature of their injuries of the two survivors.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria initially received an emergency beacon notification for an aircraft near Nootka Island.

It’s unclear if it was those on board or witnesses that called for help.

The Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue station in Tahsis sent two vessels to the scene.

In addition, two CH-149 Cormorant helicopters were sent to investigate.

A CC-130 Hercules aircraft that was out conducting training was also re-routed to support briefly.

“Once on scene, (Royal Canadian Air Force) search and rescue technicians hoisted two personnel on board the helicopter for transfer to (Emergency Health Services),” Lieut. Michelle Scott of Marine Forces Pacific wrote in an email to CTV News Tuesday night.

MARPAC later clarified to CTV News that all patients transported to hospital were civilians.

BC Emergency Health Services says air and ground ambulance crews met patients who were transported from the scene by JRCC and CAF personnel.

“BCEHS transported two patients to hospital with injuries but has no other details at this time,” a spokesperson said in an email Wednesday morning.

The TSB says Gold River RCMP have taken over the investigation to determine whether any criminality is involved, after which its investigators will take over the case.

“The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence,” said the TSB in a statement Wednesday morning.

The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline and rail transportation occurrences.

Its purpose is to improve transportation safety, not to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

The identities of those on board have not been released.

Flight Aware, a global tracking website, lists a KODI Aircraft with the identification C-GKTX as leaving Masset Tuesday at 11:30 am. The Civil Aircraft Register Database shows that plane registered to a Cameron Robinson in Sherwood Park Alberta. It says Quest Aircraft Company manufactured the airplane in 2009.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Mary Cranston and Yvonne Raymond