A tearful candlelight vigil was held at the cathedral in Fort Smith on Wednesday evening, after a plane carrying seven people went down near the townSA国际影视传媒檚 airport a day earlier.

Two crew members and four passengers headed for work at the Diavik Diamond Mine were killed.

Mine owner Rio Tinto says the lone survivor was also a company worker.

Fort SmithSA国际影视传媒檚 three churches came together to organize the vigil, which included prayer, song and calls from community leaders to support each other and stay strong.

First responders and officers were among the attendees at the packed gathering in a community of roughly 2,500 people.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 very, very sad. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 sombre here,SA国际影视传媒� said Kevin Antoniak, a longtime Fort Smith resident, earlier in the day.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou know the people who were on the plane but also the people that were flying the plane and the people who own the company. My next-door neighbour is the chief mechanic, so you can imagine what heSA国际影视传媒檚 going through. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just devastating.SA国际影视传媒�

The charter plane, a British Aerospace Jetstream 3212 operated by Northwestern Air Lease, was headed Tuesday morning to the Diavik Diamond Mine, some 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淪hortly after takeoff on Runway 30, the aircraft collided with terrain. There was a post-impact fire and the aircraft was destroyed,SA国际影视传媒� the Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating, wrote in an initial report.

The plane went down near the banks of the Slave River, in an area thick with trees, about one kilometre west of the airport. Rescuers parachuted to the scene. It was snowing at the time.

Rio Tinto, the mineSA国际影视传媒檚 owner, said the four passengers killed and the survivor were company workers.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are feeling numb with the devastating news that we have lost dear friends and colleagues,SA国际影视传媒� Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said in a press release.

The territorySA国际影视传媒檚 coroner service said the injured passenger was taken to the Fort Smith Health Centre then airlifted to the hospital in Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒楨erie silenceSA国际影视传媒�

When news of the crash spread throughout Fort Smith, Rev. Aaron Solberg of St. JohnSA国际影视传媒檚 Anglican Church went to the health centre to lend his support to those affected, including first responders.

SA国际影视传媒淎 sort of eerie silence seemed to take over the whole town,SA国际影视传媒� he said in an interview.

That silence continued into Tuesday evening, as officials confirmed there had been fatalities.

Solberg hosted the usual 5:30 p.m. service at St. JohnSA国际影视传媒檚 Anglican Church, where he said people came in person and dozens tuned in online, including many who donSA国际影视传媒檛 normally attend.

The reverend, who has been in the community for about a year, said no one is unaffected.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e all there looking to offer people that encouragement, to offer that stability,SA国际影视传媒� said Solberg. SA国际影视传媒淐oming together like this is really illustrating that when one of us hurts, we all hurt, and we must bear each otherSA国际影视传媒檚 burdens.SA国际影视传媒�

Fort Smith town council offered help for those who are grieving, and invited them to drop by the local recreation centre for SA国际影视传媒渟nacks, drinks and friendly faces.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e understand that you may not wish to be alone right now (and) that you may want to talk about it with others that are experiencing the same feelings of grief and trauma,SA国际影视传媒� the council said in a statement.

SA国际影视传媒榃e mourn with youSA国际影视传媒�

Messages of condolences poured in from other communities.

SA国际影视传媒淎s a community, we mourn with you for the lives of those lost and we offer our support during this incredibly difficult time,SA国际影视传媒� Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty posted on social media.

Another Northwestern Air Lease plane was badly damaged last April while landing at the Fort Smith airport.

A two-member crew on board a British Aerospace Jetstream 31 was conducting training and, during the touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed, causing the plane to leave the runway, the Transportation Safety Board said in an investigation last year.

There were no injuries.

Laval St. Germain, a Calgary-based airline captain for Canadian North who used to fly planes in and out of the Fort Smith airport, said he has fond memories of working in the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a challenging area of operations, for sure, because of things like the weather, the remoteness, lack of services, that type of thing,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Over the past decade, the number of plane accidents and fatal incidents in Canada has trended downward.

In 2022, there were 24 fatal accidents involving Canadian-registered aircraft in Canadian airspace, compared to 42 in 2012, said the safety board. The number of air travellers killed decreased to 34 from 63 within the same period.

SA国际影视传媒擝y Steve Lambert, with files from Brittany Hobson, Colette Derworiz, Jeremy Simes and Chris Reynolds, The Canadian Press