ST. BRIEUX, SASK. - Five people are dead after a mid-air collision between two private airplanes northeast of Saskatoon Saturday morning.

One of the planes, a Piper PA-28, was travelling from Calgary to St. Brieux with three occupants aboard - two adult men and one young male.

A man and a woman were aboard the second aircraft, a four-seater amphibious Lake LA-4 en route from Regina to La Ronge, Sask.

The LA-4's registry entry contains an address in Regina.

RCMP and paramedics from Melfort, Sask., and first responders from St. Brieux found debris scattered for miles east and west along a wooded area next to a farmer's field.

The remains of a white and red plane were located by a farmer in a swampy area surrounded by trees and a thick, wooded area.

The body of an individual, believed to be from the Regina area, was found inside.

The engine was nowhere to be seen.

The second plane was later discovered in a wooded swamp about 5 km east of the first crash site.

People in this small town said a farmer witnessed the crash and numerous citizens, many on ATVs, rushed to find the downed aircraft.

Some residents said the planes went down not far from a small landing strip.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Eyre, from F Division, said the crash was reported at 8:50 a.m. to RCMP.

"A second aircraft was located in the vicinity and the Transportation Safety Board was notified," he said.

Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada were deployed to the scene from Winnipeg and are set to arrive Sunday.

"We have very little information," spokesman Chris Krepski said Saturday afternoon from Gatineau, Que.

"We received a report of a mid-air collision involving two small aircrafts. We are deploying investigators."

Krepski said investigators will examine the scene and the wreckage at the sites and pieces requiring further examination will be sent to an engineering lab in Ottawa.

Part of the investigation will be to look at radar data and any pilot communications.

The types of planes involved do not have black boxes, nor is it a requirement, he said.

According to Transport Canada, pilots are required to file flight plans or a flight itinerary for travel more than 25 miles from the departure point.