Former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice Killed in Plane Crash

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect the most recent developments.

Former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice is among four people killed in a small plane crash near Kelowna BC. His daughter's father-in-law, Ken Gellatly, was also aboard the twin-engine Cessna Citation that crashed in a heavily wooded area on its way to Calgary, shortly after taking off from Kelowna Thursday night. The wreckage was found near Winfield BC. The RCMP is now investigating the incident alongside the Transportation Safety Board. "To lose two family members at once is unbelievably painful and we are certain you will appreciate and respect our wishes for privacy at this time and the coming weeks," the Prentice family said in a statement released by the government of Alberta. "We are also thinking of the other families who have been affected by this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with them." Tributes from politicians and members of the public to long-time federal Conservative Member of Parliament, who had filled key posts in the Stephen Harper government, flowed on Twitter as news of his death spread on social media. Speaking to reporters on Friday afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was shocked and saddened to hear of Prentice's passing, calling him a "strong voice for the people of Alberta and the people of Canada," and highlighting his role in finalizing the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. "He was highly respected and well-liked across all party lines because he brought an intelligent, honest, and straightforward approach to everything he did," said Trudeau. "I greatly enjoyed my interactions with Jim, working beside him, across from him in the house, and while we didn't always share the same views, he was always incredibly kind and respectful to me, and I will miss him profoundly."

In a statement, Alberta premier Rachel Notley said she'd spoken with Prentice's wife, Karen, and expressed "the profound sorrow and sympathy" she and other Albertans felt "in the face of this unspeakable tragedy." Notley went on to highlight Prentice's contributions to Alberta. Prentice, 60, had been one of the most recognizable faces of the Conservative Party for much of the past decade. He had mounted a bid to lead the Progressive Conservative party in 2003, but lost to Peter MacKay. Prentice went on to win a seat in Parliament in Calgary, serving as minister for Industry, Environment, and Aboriginal Affairs. Prentice resigned his seat in 2010, and mounted a bid to lead the governing Progressive Conservative party in Alberta. He won, and immediately became premier—only to be ousted by the NDP a year later.

Corporal Dan Moskaluk, a spokesperson for the RCMP in British Columbia, said officers and a police dog arrived at the scene of the crash shortly after midnight, but couldn't find any survivors.

"There was catastrophic damage at the crash site," he said.

In a press release on Friday, The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said a team of investigators is being deployed to the scene of the accident, and that they're gathering information.

"All of us in the Conservative family are ‎devastated today," Rona Ambrose, interim leader of the Conservative Party, said in a statement. "It is a huge loss to the country. He was a well-respected political leader and a business leader ‎but we know he was most proud to be a father and grandfather."

"Jim was a leader in our movement," she added, "a valued colleague in Cabinet, and a close and cherished friend of so many, not just in our party, but right across the political spectrum."

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