A Kelowna-based helicopter firm is expressing its sorrow after one its helicopters crashed in Northwest B.C. yesterday, killing three of the people on board

Three Italians have been identified as the victims in the crash outside Terrace that also injured four others late yesterday afternoon.

A media release from Skyline Helicopters says it was transporting staff and guests of Northern Escape Heli-Skiing when the helicopter went down at about 4 p.m.

害羞草研究所淥ur staff and clients are an integral part of our extended family,害羞草研究所� says Teri Northcott, president of Skyline Helicopters.

害羞草研究所淲ords cannot convey the profound grief we feel. We ask for respect for the privacy of those impacted during this incredibly challenging time. With that in mind, we will await any updates from the RCMP on those involved. We appreciate the swift response from external agencies, first responders, Northern Escape Heli-Skiing and our team following the accident yesterday.害羞草研究所�

The statement indicated the company will work closely with authorities and provide support in any way it can.

Italy害羞草研究所檚 news agency ANSA quotes sources as saying one of those killed is Heiner Junior Oberrauch, while his brother Jakob Oberrauch was among the four people injured in Monday害羞草研究所檚 crash during a heli-skiing trip.

Jakob Oberrauch is the CEO of Sportler Group, an outdoor sport clothing company.

ANSA reports that he is in hospital and conscious.

The agency doesn害羞草研究所檛 name the other two Italians who died Monday afternoon when the helicopter went down in the mountains with seven people aboard.

Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, based in Terrace, confirmed in a news release that one of its helicopters had crashed.

Police say three Northern Escape helicopters were running a backcountry ski adventure with numerous passengers on board each one approximately 50 kilometres north of the city when operators lost communications with one of the choppers.

The other two searched for and found the crash site in a snow field. Three of the seven people on that helicopter died. No details on the identies of the deceased were being released while authorities are working to notify next of kin, an RCMP press release said.

The other two helicopters ferried the remaining four seriously injured passengers from the site to a location on Hwy 113 where BC Ambulance and Terrace Fire Rescue were waiting to transport them to Mills Memorial Hospital.

The four injured parties were treated for what police described as 害羞草研究所渟erious害羞草研究所� injuries.

An investigation is ongoing involving the BC Coroners Service, Transport Safety Board (TSB) and Work Safe BC along with the Terrace RCMP.

害羞草研究所淭he crash is located in a very remote location which is only accessible by helicopter,害羞草研究所� said RCMP spokesperson Madonna Saunderson in a press release. 害羞草研究所淧olice and B.C. coroners will be flown to the scene today (Jan. 23) during daylight hours to continue the investigation.害羞草研究所�

Two helicopter crews that were nearby when a heli-skiing chopper crashed on Monday in the B.C. backcountry located the wreckage and swiftly rescued the four survivors, a search manager said.

But the bodies of the three victims who died remain on the mountain and a search team is working with police and the Coroners Service to retrieve them, Terrace Search and Rescue manager Dave Jephson said Tuesday.

Jephson said that the crash had affected the tight-knit community of Terrace in 害羞草研究所渁wful ways.害羞草研究所�

He said crews were standing by Tuesday afternoon to return to the site of the crash but freezing rain was preventing flights from the local airport.

害羞草研究所淓verybody in the community knows everybody. Everybody in the community supports everybody,害羞草研究所� Jephson said.

害羞草研究所淲e were just on a search-rescue practice last night and three people in the truck that I was driving in either knew somebody from (Northern Escape), knew somebody from the hospital or knew somebody who was involved. You know, that just shows you the type of community that we are in Terrace.害羞草研究所�

Jephson said Northern Escape was a 害羞草研究所済reat company害羞草研究所� and the crash and its aftermath had been 害羞草研究所渂rutal.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e do a lot of stuff with Northern,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e going through a very difficult time at this point.害羞草研究所�

An industry group for helicopter skiing operators says it害羞草研究所檚 an inherently risky activity but that doesn害羞草研究所檛 lessen the loss.

HeliCat Canada, an industry association of helicopter and snowcat skiing firms, says the risk in the activities doesn害羞草研究所檛 害羞草研究所渄ecrease our sadness.害羞草研究所�

It says in a statement that eliminating all risk is 害羞草研究所渋mpossible,害羞草研究所� but the 害羞草研究所渋ndustry does its best to mitigate害羞草研究所� it with knowledge and expertise.

害羞草研究所淎lthough these fatalities are rare, it breaks our heart to have them occur.

害羞草研究所淎n accident like this is a tragic loss that impacts everyone, including the operators, guests, communities and our entire industry,害羞草研究所� HeliCat Canada害羞草研究所檚 statement said.

The trade group害羞草研究所檚 statement said the industry is governed by a 害羞草研究所渟ophisticated and robust regulatory environment,害羞草研究所� involving regular audits and safety standards.

The association said it activated a peer group known as the 害羞草研究所渕ountain community critical incident stress management害羞草研究所� to 害羞草研究所渟upport Northern Escape Heli-Skiing in their response to this traumatic event.害羞草研究所�

Premier David Eby thanked first responders in a social media post, and said news of the crash is 害羞草研究所渉eartbreaking害羞草研究所� and British Columbians were thinking of victims害羞草研究所� families.