One person is dead and three are in critical condition after a light plane crashed in near Brenda Mines Monday afternoon.

The four were aboard a Piper PA30 twin Comanche when they crashed just west of Peachland.

The group took off from Penticton — just 55 kilometres from the crash site — and were en route to Boundary Bay.

The emergency distress call was set off around 3 p.m. and picked up by a passing WestJet plane which then notified air traffic controllers.

A search and rescue helicopter was sent to the scene and technicians parachuted down to the crash site just after 5 p.m.

Two patients were airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital and the third was airlifted to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. All three are reported in critical condition.

The names of the deceased and injured are not being released until families are notified.

Location of crash near another plane mishap in May.