Six fatalities — four passengers and two crew members — have been confirmed from a plane crash near Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, about 370 kilometres north of Fort McMurray near the Alberta border.

One survivor has been airlifted to hospital in Yellowknife.

According to reports, the plane took off from the Fort Smith airport yesterday, then lost contact and crashed near the banks of the Slave River. 

Mining company Rio Tinto has said a number of their staff were on the plane and were on their way to a diamond mine about 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. 

The aircraft used was registered to Northwestern Air Lease. The airline has indicated the plane was chartered. 

According to the airline’s website, the type of plane used can carry 19 passengers.