Five members of the same family are believed to be among those killed following a plane crash in Canada.

In total seven people died as a small twin-engine turboprop plane crashed on an island off the east coast of Quebec.

Authorities confirmed the plane crashed as it approached Iles-de-la-Madeleine Airport amid heavy winds and snow.

Former Canadian transport minister Jean Lapierre and members of his family were among the victims.

It is believed his wife, two brothers and sister also died in the crash.

They were travelling to the funeral of Lapierre’s father.

Officials with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada travelled to Havre aux Maisons Island in the Magdalen Islands to determine the cause of the crash.

The plane had left St Hubert Airport in Montreal on Tuesday morning.