One dead following crash on North Vancouver Island highway

One person is dead after a crash on Highway 19 near Port Alice.

Port Hardy RCMP say they were called to the scene along the highway near the Port Alice junction around 11:00 am Saturday morning.

Officers say the vehicle was travelling southbound when, for unknown reasons, drove onto the right shoulder of the road and then veered into the oncoming lane.

It then went into the ditch on the other side of the road. 

Police say the male driver was airlifted to the hospital in Victoria and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, but the female passenger was pronounced dead on the scene. 

RCMP also say neither were residents of Port Hardy, alcohol doesn’t appear to be a factor, and the crash is still under investigation.