A single vehicle rollover accident on Highway 5 between Hope and Merritt has seen one person pass away.

The BC Highway Patrol and BC Coroners Service are continuing their investigation into the incident on Saturday morning that saw a significant portion of the southbound lanes of the Coquihalla closed for hours. The incident saw four others also sent to hospital, some with life-threatening injuries.

It was just after 8:30a.m. that Hope RCMP, BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack and emergency medical crews responded to the scene, just south of the Portia Brake Check.

“First responders arrived on scene to find a heavily damaged grey Mazda CX-9 on its side,” states Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesman for the BC RCMP. “Two adults and two children sustained varying degrees of injuries, all serious and many considered to be potentially life threatening in nature. While sadly a fifth occupant of the vehicle, a woman in her 70s, was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Both adults were air lifted from the crash site by BC Emergency Health Services to separate BC Lower Mainland hospitals in serious condition. At last update, both the man and woman were in emergency surgery.

One of the two children was transported by BC Air Ambulance to BC Children’s Hospital in critical condition, while the other was taken to an area hospital with serious bodily injuries, believed to be non-life threatening in nature.

The BC Coroners Service will not be releasing anymore information on the elderly woman’s death, in order to protect her privacy.

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision is ongoing at this time and being led by BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack.

If you witnessed this crash or have any dash camera footage that may aid investigators, and have not yet spoken to police you are asked to contact the BC Highway Patrol Chilliwack at 604-702-4039.