A second person has now died as a result of a small plane crashing into a central Alberta lake last week.
RCMP were called about an overdue aircraft that was believed to have crashed into Beaverhill Lake east of Tofield, Alta., shortly after 9 p.m. on Aug. 11.
They said the plane was found just after midnight, about 200 metres “off shore in the northwest portion of the lake.”
The search involved personnel from various law enforcement, military and firefighting organizations.
Police said two people were removed from the plane. One person was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was airlifted to a hospital in Edmonton with serious injuries.
On Wednesday, the RCMP confirmed to Global News that the person taken to hospital has died.
Global News has learned the second person who died was a 24-year-old man from Leduc who was a passenger in the plane.
Also on Wednesday, the identity of the pilot was confirmed.
In a statement, the team at Cooking Lake Aviation said Alex Lanovaz, a flight instructor, was taking a student out on a training flight on one of its planes when it crashed.
“Today is a very sad day for the Cooking Lake Aviation family and aviation community — we are all heartbroken,” the Wednesday statement read.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy.”
All flight training at Cooking Lake Aviation has been suspended for the next week as its personnel “recover from the initial shock and sadness of this tragedy.”
When contacted by Global News on Wednesday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada told Global News it was still investigating what led to the crash.
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