Three people have been killed, including two British citizens, after a plane crashed in the Swiss Alps.

The group were on board a light aircraft on Tuesday afternoon when it collided into a mountain slope ten minutes into its journey, killing all occupants on board. The victims have yet to be named and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Authorities identified the plane as a Cirrus SR22T that had had taken off in Lugano before making a stopover at Sion Airport. It then left Sion to travel to the Rhone Valley and crashed near the town of Leukerbad in the southern canton of Valais at around 4pm.

Police said the plane had been headed towards Buochs Airfield in the canton of Nidwalden.

Signs of smoke were reported in the region raising the alarm, according to a statement by Valais police.

Emergency services including police, firefighters and three helicopters of the Valais Rescue Organisation rushed to the scene of the incident.

Witnesses said that fire and smoke were visible at the site of the crash. An image released by Valais Police show smoke rising from the locations as emergency workers attended the scene.

The reason for the crash is yet to be determined and the Swiss Transportation Board has opened an investigation into the cause.

Valais Police and the Office of the Attorney General have also launched a criminal inquiry following the crash.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said it was “providing support to the families of two British nationals who died in Switzerland” and is in contact with local authorities, in a statement to the BBC. “Our thoughts remain with the families during this difficult time.”

The incident comes less than a week after a bus carrying 48 Dutch passengers crashed in the Swiss Alps, killing five tourists on board.

The vehicle crashed into a guardrail and overturned before sliding down a slope. At least 40 people were left injured in the incident.

Rescue helicopters airlifted the injured to various hospitals as work began to identify the dead.