2 unaccounted for after aircraft goes missing en route from Lethbridge to Kamloops

RCMP are investigating the disappearance of two people after their plane failed to arrive in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday, en route from Lethbridge, Alta.

Police say the aircraft was piloted by 21-year-old Alex Simons of Kamloops, who was accompanied by Sydney Robillard, 24, of Lethbridge.

The Joint Search Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria is searching for both the plane and the missing persons, which went missing Thursday evening. Crews from CFB Comox searched Thursday until dark,continued through Friday and are expected to resume Saturday.

According to police, the plane left Lethbridge around 9:35 a.m. MT, and then left Cranbrook, B.C., around 3 p.m. MT after refuelling. Around 6:20 p.m. PT, police were notified that the plane had failed to reach its destination in Kamloops.

Lt. Greg Menzies, with the JRCC, says the search Friday was hampered by changing weather conditions and the rocky terrain covered in trees makes spotting a small aircraft challenging, but crews are still hoping for the best.

"It is quite a large area, it's very rocky, very mountainous, heavily treed so certainly an aircraft of this size is difficult to find," he said.

A Cormorant and Buffalo helicopters have been involved in the search along with local search and rescue volunteers, and an additional Buffalo is expected to be sent out when crews continue their work Saturday.

Police say the plane is a Piper Warrior with the call letters CGDTK.

"The Cranbrook RCMP is asking that anyone with information regarding this matter contact their local police of jurisdiction in efforts to locate the missing persons," said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk in a release.

With files from the Canadian Press.