Numerous fatalities have been reported following a plane crash in the west end of Kingston.

Kingston Police Insp. Dan Mastin confirmed that a small plane crashed in a heavily wooded area between Creekford Road and Highway 401.

Mastin confirmed that there are “numerous fatalities.” The exact number of victims has not been confirmed.

The call to emergency services came in at about 5:20 p.m. The scene is about 2.5 kilometres west of Bayridge Drive, north of Creekford Road. A search and rescue helicopter from Canadian Forces Base Trenton responded to the area to assist in the initial search for the aircraft but cleared at 8:15 p.m.

The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and the Transportation Safety Board have been notified.

A Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said that the plane is registered in the United States and took off from the Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham with the intention to land at Kingston’s Norman Rogers Airport.

Kingston Police’s criminal investigations unit is also at the scene.

Det. Joel Fisher said they have been in contact with the airport and are still learning who the victims are, where they were going and their relationship to each other. At about 9:20 p.m., officers were securing the dark and wet scene. Fisher said they would likely be in the area for most of the night preparing to continue their investigation with the other agencies.

The Transportation Safety Board confirmed the plane was a Piper PA-32 and will be sending an investigative team to the site Thursday morning.

According to the Piper Flying Association’s website, the aircraft is a single-engine, high-performance aircraft capable of carrying six people.

Frontenac Paramedics report they’ve neither treated nor transported any patients from the scene. Kingston Fire and Rescue were also staged in the area in case they, too, were needed.

Environment Canada stated that the sun set in Kingston at 4:30 p.m. There was also a special weather statement in effect for the area warning of “strong southwesterly winds gusting to 80 km/h.” The winds were expected to develop into the evening.

** Incident Update ** We are now confirming that there are numerous fatalities in regards to the small downed aircraft located this evening. Police continue to provide scene security awaiting Transport Canada’s arrival to continue the joint investigation. #ygk — Kingston Police (@KingstonPolice) November 28, 2019

#TSBAir will deploy a team to Kingston, Ontario, following an aircraft accident https://t.co/Hy9A1rS056 — TSB of Canada (@TSBCanada) November 28, 2019

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