News
Break in weather will help search effort
Jan. 25, 2013, Antarctica - Officials with New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre say a break in the weather could be the best opportunity for searchers to find a group of Canadians missing in Antarctica.
January 25, 2013 By Carey Fredericks
Steve Rendle says skies are expected to clear in the area by early this afternoon, Eastern Time.
He says helicopters should then be able to fly over the area where the plane owned by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air is believed to have gone down.
Rendle says the signal from the plane's emergency locator beacon is no longer being received, but he says that's to be expected as the battery life for the device is limited.
He says crews have a fix on the beacon's co-ordinates, so that's not an issue.
If the weather clears, says Rendle, they hope to establish a base at a runway and fuel depot about 50 kilometres from the presumed crash site, then send out helicopters to search for the plane.
The Twin Otter is believed to have been carrying a pilot and two other crew members and is well-equipped with survival equipment and five days worth of supplies.
