Three people were killed after a helicopter crashed northwest of British Columbia on Monday afternoon, and a helicopter skiing company confirmed that four others are in the hospital in critical condition.

The Northern Escape Heli-Skiing plane crashed north of Terrace around 4:15 PM, said John Forrest, president of Northern Escape, in a statement confirming the deaths Monday night. "It is impossible to express in words the deep sorrow we feel and the grief shared by our guests and employees. We hope you will respect the privacy of those affected during this very difficult time."

British Columbia Emergency Health Services told CTV News that they sent several paramedics for primary care, advanced care, and critical care to the scene, including three air ambulances and five ground ambulances.

Paramedics treated four patients at the scene, who were transported to Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace in critical condition.

A spokesperson for Northern Health said in a statement that the hospital declared an orange code, which is used to respond to mass casualty incidents.

He added, “Our hearts are with the families and friends of the victims. We also want to thank the Mills Memorial staff and medical team who responded quickly and compassionately.”

Forrest said that Northern Escape will work closely with the Mounties and other authorities investigating the cause of the accident.