The plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the rugged mountains west of Penticton, B.C. (CBC) The British Columbia Coroners Service has released the names of four people who died when a small plane crashed in the province's Interior this month.

The single-engine Piper Comanche took off from Penticton on Aug. 17 for Victoria, but only made it 30 kilometres before crashing into thick forest near Apex Mountain.

All four male victims were Kelowna-area residents.

They were the pilot, 36-year-old pilot Rama Jesus Tello; his brother, Maya Paulo Nicholas Tello-Wrigley, 21; Salem Dedovic, 30; and Jasson Kevin Christopher Patrick Minor, 35.

Officials say they died of impact-related injuries.

Dangerous area

The plane was found Wednesday after a seven-day search by as many as 20 aircraft and several ground crews.

Okanagan flight school operator Mark Holmes said he knew of 12 crashes in the region where the latest plane went down.

Holmes said the area is known for its tricky terrain, which can fool pilots into thinking they are gaining altitude quickly enough when they are not.

The situation can force a pilot to attempt an emergency climb, which can make the aircraft suddenly lose lift and go into a nose dive.

The plane in which the four men died was found in a position that suggested it hit the ground at a sharp, nose-down angle, a Transportation Safety Board spokesman said.

With files from The Canadian Press