British Columbia

Small plane with 2 people missing en route from B.C. to Alberta

A small aircraft with two people on board has gone missing en route from Penticton, B.C., to Edmonton.

Bad weather conditions near Revelstoke, B.C., hampered search efforts Sunday

Cellphone signals from a pilot onboard a small plane that has gone missing were last picked up near Revelstoke, B.C. (Google Maps)

A small aircraft with two people onboard has gone missing en route from Penticton, B.C., to Edmonton.

Victoria Joint Rescue Coordination Centre spokesperson Katelyn Moores said the single engine aircraft, white with burgundy stripes, left Penticton at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and was noted as missing at 10:40 p.m. PT the same day.

The pilot's cell phone signal was last picked up twenty kilometres north of Revelstoke, B.C.

Search and rescue teams began looking for the aircraft Saturday night, focusing on the region between Revelstoke and Rogers Pass, but weren't able to locate anything.

Bad weather in the area Sunday morning has hampered search efforts, Moores said. 

A low ceiling prevented a Buffalo aircraft, as well as three civil air search and rescue aircraft out of Kamloops, from accessing the search area today, she said.

But four helicopters were able to search for the missing aircraft, including a Cormorant from Canadian Forces base Comox, two Parks Canada helicopters and a chartered helicopter out of Revelstoke.

The search has been called off for the night and is expected to resume in the morning.