SMITHERS, B.C. – The British Columbia coroner says it is investigating three fatalities after a small plane crashed northeast of Smithers.

Andy Watson, the spokesman for the BC Coroners Service, says in a statement that the service is investigating the death of the pilot and two passengers after the Cessna 182 went down on Saturday.

He says a fourth person who was on the plane survived the crash and was taken to a Vancouver hospital.

Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Sophie Wistaff says a team of investigators is at the site and will be gathering information and evidence looking into what may have caused the crash.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it received a transmission from the plane’s emergency locator Saturday morning, prompting a search about 100 kilometres northeast of Smithers.

When the site was found, a rescue technician was lowered by cable from a helicopter to check for survivors and the operation was turned over to police.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the TSB said four people had been killed.