BC

Three people are dead after a crash on a Vancouver Island highway.

A spokeswoman for the BC Coroners Service says at least two vehicles collided between 11 a.m. and noon, on the Malahat Highway northwest of Victoria.

Barb McLintock says it appears five other people were injured, including at least two who had very serious injuries and were flown to a hospital in Victoria.

She says investigators are on the scene and although there's no indication yet what caused the crash, there was a torrential downpour in nearby Victoria at the time.

The highway near Shawnigan Lake has been shut in both directions.