Search for missing plane continues in northern Ontario as air task force sets up in Thunder Bay

CBC
·2 min read
The search for a missing Cessna 208 between Nakina and Eabametoong in northwestern Ontario continues today. The plane was expected at its destination on Tuesday. (Joint Rescue Coordination Centre/Twitter - image credit)
The search for a missing Cessna 208 between Nakina and Eabametoong in northwestern Ontario continues today. The plane was expected at its destination on Tuesday. (Joint Rescue Coordination Centre/Twitter - image credit)

Ontario's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre is setting up an air task force based out of Thunder Bay, as the search for a missing plane continues on Thursday.

Search and rescue crews are looking for a small plane that had two people on board and went missing in a remote part of northwestern Ontario on Tuesday.

Maj. Trevor Reid, a spokesperson with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Trenton, Ont., said the search effort is moving to Thunder Bay, closer to the area of focus for crews working on the case.

"This is to better concentrate our search resources on the area of travel for this aircraft," said Reid.

The Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft was headed from Nakina to Eabametoong, also known as Fort Hope, but never arrived at its destination.

Search crews are focusing their efforts on the planned flight route, covering about 150 kilometres.

Nakina is located about 345 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. Eabametoong is located further north from Nakina, and is a fly-in First Nation.

Reid said the air task force setting up in Thunder Bay is made up of an Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aircraft, the Canadian Coast Guard, with assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

"We have two Hercules aircrafts, two RCF Griffin helicopters as well as a Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and OPP helicopters, a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter," he said.

Reid said members of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association are also joining the search.

"They are both serving as spotters on board our military aircraft, as well as bringing their own aircraft, which is equipped with some cameras and special search software," Reid explained.

Reid said the weather on Thursday in northwestern Ontario looks favourable for the air search.

Light snow and cloudy conditions on Tuesday hampered search efforts, but the weather improved on Wednesday.

The two people on the aircraft have not yet been identified.

In a statement to CBC News Wednesday, Transport Canada said it is aware of an incident involving a possible missing aircraft en route to Eabametoong.

"The department is monitoring the situation. Given that search and rescue operations are ongoing, the department is not in a position to provide further information," said the agency in an emailed statement.

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