The tight-knit community of Bathurst, N.B., is reeling in the wake of an accident that killed eight people from the same high school. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the tragedy has "shocked the nation."

Seven boys from the Bathurst High School basketball team and one adult woman were killed around midnight when their passenger van collided with a transport truck near Bathurst.

RCMP says the teammates were between the ages of 15 and 18 years old and were returning from a game in Moncton when the crash occured.

"It's just a tragedy for our community and everybody is just mourning our loss," Bathurst's Mayor Stephen Brunet told reporters. "We're in shock still. Everybody's asking questions -- 'What's going to happen?' 'What are we going to do?'"

Bathurst is a very small community. "Hopefully we'll all lean on each other and we'll get through this, but it's very difficult," he said.

Harper wrote a letter of condolence to the high school's principal.

"The sudden loss of eight people in this unthinkable accident shocked the nation and all Canadians join you in mourning their passing," he wrote.

"As a father, I particularly grieve with the parents who have lost their children. The seven promising young students will be missed dearly by their loved ones, fellow students, and the wider community of Bathurst."

Emily Cleland, the sister of one of the young victims, told CTV Newsnet on Saturday that she not only lost her brother, but her best friend.

"He was an amazing person. He was my best friend my whole life. He's my younger brother but he always acted like my older brother. He was very protective," she said.

"He was one of those strong, silent types. Whenever he said something, it was something meaningful and every time he spoke, people wanted to listen. He was so charismatic."

The picturesque Acadian community, located in northern New Brunswick, is home to about 12,000 people.

Cleland said Bathurst is the type of town where everyone knows everyone else, leaving no resident untouched by Saturday's tragedy.

"I've known all those boys for most of my life. It's a small town. If you're friends with someone then you've know them since you were four, so we all know each other really well. It's really devastating to this community," she said.

Three students and the team's coach, who is also a teacher at the local high school, survived the crash and were brought to the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst with non-life threatening injuries. Police say the driver of the transport truck was not injured in the crash.

One survivor has been released, another remains in intensive care and two other victims are in stable condition.

The names of the victims and the truck driver have not been released.

The RCMP says road conditions in the area were hazardous overnight as snow, rain and freezing rain fell in the area on Friday.

Sophie Boudreau, a classmate and friend of the boys, told CTV Newsnet that "Bathurst has lost the most amazing people in the world."

"These guys, there aren't even words to describe how nice and big-hearted they were," she said.

Education officials have set up a temporary support centre in the Bathurst High School gymnasium with grief counsellors on hand for students and parents.

Student Kent Knowles arrived at the school in the morning with two other friends, to share memories of the killed teenagers.

"The team was made up of a great bunch of guys," he said. "They knew how to be friends, they were always there for everyone. They made a great team."

Yvon Godin, MP for the Acadie-Bathurst region, said that the school will be open all weekend for people needing support.

"I have talked to some of the teachers who had three or four kids in their class and it's not going to be easy, but I think time will help," he told CTV Newsnet on Saturday.

Godin, who spoke twice a year at the school, said the students there are "very good" kids.

"Sometimes they raised questions for me that were harder than the ones you get in Parliament. They're so intelligent and they're good people," he said.

No formal funeral arrangements have been made; however, Cleland said her family hopes to hold a mass memorial service at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre.

"That way everyone can come out and grieve and show their support. It'll be a lot easier that way I think with that many more people," she said.

Boys remembered online

A Facebook group "For the Boys in Red" was created early Saturday morning. The group had more than 280 members within hours of creation, with fellow students posting condolence messages.

"This should have never happened. I kept thinking that this is all just a really bad dream and that I'm going to wake up from it any minute! But I'm not waking up," one student posted on the social networking website.

"Our school has lost some of the most amazing guys in the world no one will ever be able to replace them. We shall never forget about them."

Other classmates wished those in hospital a quick recovery, while fellow basketball players tried to make sense of the incident.

"I didn't go to bhs but I knew a bunch of these guys playing ball against them through the years.. I was told about the accident this morning. I still can't believe this... it just doesn't make sense.. how could it happen.. I'm pretty much in shock and I can't imagine how the families and everyone involved feels .. aw man .. this is a sad day ...," one friend wrote.