Six people died after a small plane crashed in the mountains west of Calgary, southwestern Canada, local authorities reported.

Local police sergeant Ryan Singleton said, "Five passengers and a pilot were on board the plane that took off from Springbank Airport near Calgary on Friday evening."

After departure, relatives lost contact with the plane's passengers.

Authorities dispatched a fleet from the Royal Canadian Air Force, based in Winnipeg, to search for the plane, which was found in the mountains about 100 kilometers west of Calgary, in a location only accessible by helicopter, according to police.

Police confirmed that "all six passengers on the plane have died," and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.