The search for a small aircraft that’s been missing for nearly two weeks in the B.C. Interior has been called off. On Monday, a statement said the “full-scale” search for the plane, which had been carrying two people when it disappeared on June 8, has been “reduced.”The Piper Warrior was on its way to Kamloops, B.C. from Lethbridge, Alta. when it was reported missing.
Officials said there won’t be any more searching unless there’s new evidence that indicates “a strong likelihood of survivors.”
“The families of the individuals have been informed
Officials said there was no indication the plane was in distress before it vanished, and the aircraft was equipped with an electronic locating device, but search and rescue members haven’t picked up a signal.
(Source CBC News)
We had 7 aircraft flying all day on Fathers Day. They covered 440 square nautical miles in a total time of 41 hours. Most of this was at 500 & 1/2. Weather permitting crews are being briefed to take off from Cranbrook, Sparwood, Kelowna and Kamloops again this morning
PEP AIR UPDATE
We had 10 aircraft flying on search yesterday for a total of 66.8 hours and 17 different flights. Our crews are being briefed now for today’s flights. They should be airborne within the hour. Wishing them success and safe flying.
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PEP AIR
We have had 22 different aircraft flying on this search so far with over 250 hours flying search time. Tomorrow we will have 7 aircraft up. We can’t forget all the people on the ground doing everything in SHQ.
Well done PEP Air members. Your volunteerism is outstanding.
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Search for missing plane is no easy task
Among those taking part in the search for the missing plane are private pilots who train for this type of situation. They are members of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association who work in conjunction with the Canadian military in search and rescue operations.
Kelowna pilot Mark Payer took Global Okanagan’s Kelly Hayes up for a mock search for an old wreckage in the forest near Kelowna to emphasize that finding a downed plane is not as easy as it sounds.
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PEP Air (June 13/14th)
The search continues, we had 10 aircraft flying today but no Joy. We are gearing up for another day first thing in the morning. Crews are flying out of Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Nelson, Cranbrook, Sparwood and Pit Meadows.
Stay Safe and wishing for a speedy resolution.
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Searchers scour B.C. Interior for signs of missing plane, two passengers
KELOWNA, B.C. — The search for a small plane and two passengers that disappeared en route to Kamloops, B.C., could take weeks, says a military spokesman.
Lt.-Col. Bryn Elliott said 13 military planes and two Cormorant helicopters were in the air Sunday, conducting sweeps of a vast area between Cranbrook and Kamloops.
A Piper Warrior plane was reported missing Thursday afternoon after it took off from Cranbrook, in southeastern B.C.
Police said the aircraft was flying to Kamloops and two people are believed to have been on board — pilot Alex Simons, 21, of Kamloops and passenger Sydney Robillard, 21, of Lethbridge, Alta.
Searchers have very little information about what may have happened, Elliott said, noting they know the plane originally took off from Lethbridge and stopped in Cranbrook to refuel.
He said a thunderstorm rolled through the area shortly after the plane departed and weather may have been a factor in the disappearance.
“The pilot could have chosen to do any number of things,” Elliot said, adding that Simons may have flown into some valleys to try to find clearer weather.
“We try to put ourselves in the minds of the pilot with the information that we have.”
Searchers working out of Kelowna have taken the plane’s intended flight path and drawn an area around it, based on a variety of statistics, Elliott said.
Military aircraft are now systematically scouring that area at a variety of altitudes to try to find signs of the missing plane. Local search and rescue groups and the RCMP are assisting.
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Interesting to see the “ops board” on the video and the length of fights.
http://globalnews.ca/news/3520339/search-for-missing-plane-and-young-couple-enters-day-5/
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PEP Air
442 Squadron is working out of Cranbrook and Kelowna for search of missing Cherokee Warrior. Search Headquarters has been setup in Kelowna. Military Spotters will be coming into Cranbrook from Creston to fill some spots on board military search aircraft for tomorrow morning. We had 6 PEP Air aircraft flying today as well as a comms platform.