2 dead in plane crash near Palisade Mountain in Northern Colorado

A plane crashed in the Colorado mountains Saturday and now rescue efforts are underway. Two people were killed in the crash and one was in the process of being rescued, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

Few details were immediately available, but a "small passenger plane" with three people on board crashed near Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain west of Loveland around 11:15 a.m., according to the sheriff's office. 

A UCHealth LifeLine helicopter was seen circling overhead in the area.

Copter4 shot the crash site from overhead, showing first responders near the wreckage.

Palisade Mountain is in Larimer County, about 20 miles west of Loveland and about 65 miles northwest of Denver. The area is part of the burn scar of the Alexander Mountain Fire, which burned almost 10,000 acres in over two weeks this past summer.

While the exact location of the crash has not yet been confirmed, the general area includes tall trees and steep hills as part of the mountain range. Rescue crews were heard on radio traffic working to find a landing zone for rescue helicopters. No structures were impacted by the crash.

The plane crashed in "very rugged" and "extensive and rocky terrain," Ali Adams, a Larimer County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said at a news conference. First responders had to hike out to the site and the sole survivor was "severely injured" when responders finally got to them.

Rescue efforts were ongoing at 3:15 p.m., according to Adams, and recovery efforts for the two deceased people's bodies could take several days.

Several agencies responded, including the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, Thompson Valley EMS and the National Guard.

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office is the lead agency investigating the crash and the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will assist, according to Adams.

"This is one of those incidents that is really low frequency; it doesn't happen really often, but unfortunately, our first responders have had more than their fair share of responses," Adams said.