A mayor overcome with emotion. A rescuer struggling with the sight of a deadly plane crash. Church bells ringing for every life lost.

The fallout from disaster that killed six people and left one in hospital continued to reverberate in Fort Smith, a town of some 2,200 on the Northwest Territories害羞草研究所� boundary with Alberta where everyone knows everyone.

Sgt. Gordon Rothnie, a Canadian Army ranger who rushed to the crash site by snowmobile along with four colleagues in a rescue attempt, said he was hoping for the best.

害羞草研究所淔rom my perspective, you go in with a lot of optimism to assist in any way you can, do the best you can, depending on the circumstances. And it was a difficult situation,害羞草研究所� Rothnie said in an interview Thursday.

害羞草研究所淚 refused to accept what I was witnessing. Even going to bed that night I was still wanting to search.害羞草研究所�

Rothnie, 50, said the connection he has to the community makes this an intimate loss.

害羞草研究所淲hen something like this happens you害羞草研究所檙e connected. It害羞草研究所檚 not like you害羞草研究所檙e anonymous. There害羞草研究所檚 always some connection,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e not impartial. There害羞草研究所檚 an intimacy. Your children played together or you knew them, so I would say the painful part is for the loved ones who, one moment, you have someone dear to you and then they害羞草研究所檙e just taken away.害羞草研究所�

The charter plane had just taken off from Fort Smith and was en route to the Diavik Diamond Mine on Tuesday morning, when it hit the ground and caught fire.

The territorial coroner害羞草研究所檚 office has not identified the victims of the crash, but some family members have.

Clayton Balsillie says his sister Diane Balsillie was among those killed.

She and three others who died worked at the mine. Two crew members with Northwestern Air Lease were also killed.

One mine worker survived and was airlifted to hospital in Yellowknife.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating and released photos of the crash site Thursday.

The pictures show the plane severely damaged, its fuselage tattered, lying in a heavily wooded area just west of town.

Fort Smith害羞草研究所檚 mayor said he was unable to speak at a Wednesday vigil because he was overcome with emotion.

害羞草研究所淚t came time for me to say something and I looked at all the people and I just broke down and couldn害羞草研究所檛 do it,害羞草研究所� Fred Daniels recalled Thursday.

害羞草研究所淢y deputy mayor was there and I had to pass it on to her. I just couldn害羞草研究所檛 do it.害羞草研究所�

Daniels said he害羞草研究所檚 been a politician for a long time and had thought he was strong enough to deal with anything. He is urging residents to seek counselling and not carry the burden alone.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to take a while to do this. It害羞草研究所檚 not going to go away. Are we ever going to find closure? How do we find closure for those families?害羞草研究所� Daniels said, choking back tears.

The Anglican church in the town is planning to ring its bells every morning for six minutes 害羞草研究所� one minute for each person killed.

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