Authorities have confirmed that two pilots aboard a Conair Convair 580 air tanker were killed when the twin turboprop went down south of Lytton, B.C. at dusk on Saturday. Killed were Tim Whiting, 58, of Langley, B.C. and Brian Tilley, 36, of Edmonton.
Whiting was 28-year veteran with Conair and although Tilley was relatively new to the company he was an experienced pilot.
The tanker, based in Abbotsford, was being used to battle one of hundreds of fires that have erupted in the B.C.'s tinder dry southern interior in the last week.
Weather conditions were unsettled at the time of the accident with convective action in the area and spotty thunderstorms.
Neither the company nor the Transportation Safety Board have commented on circumstances surrounding the accident, which is normal in a case like this.
Tributes are pouring in for both pilots, who were described as consummate professionals.
Rescuers had a hard time reaching the crash site because it's believed the crash caused another fire.