FILE

Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marc Grandmaison

RIdge-Meadows Mounties are continuing their search for a plane that witnesses saw Saturday, June 7, flying low above the Fraser River, going into the water and then quickly disappearing from view.

"Ridge Meadows Frontline RCMP members attended the area of 287th St. and Lougheed highway where it was reported, and began looking for any parts of the airplane or debris, but could not locate anything," Cpl. Chris Manseau said in a press release.

"An airport tower in the area indicated that there were no reports of any airplanes known to be in the area at that time and no reports of planes in distress. Several other local airports were contacted, none were expecting any planes and none were reported overdue."

The Vancouver Police Department’s Marine Unit assisted by sending a vessel equipped with sonar searching capabilities and RCMP air services utilized their helicopter and began patrolling the area. Multiple frontline members and agencies, including Abbotsford Police Department and Maple Ridge Fire Search & Rescue, were engaged in assisting in the search. The Joint Rescue Coordination Center was contacted and organized search and rescue teams and boats looking for the possible downed plane.

"Late Saturday afternoon a report was received from the Boundary Bay Airport that a small plane containing two persons on board was overdue," Manseau said. "This plane was similar in size, and colour to the observation made by the one and only witness. The initial flight plan submitted by the pilot did not take the plane in the vicinity of where it was apparently seen in the water."

The Transportation Safety Board was advised of all that was happening. All agencies continued searching Saturday until approximately 7 p.m. with the expectation to resume early Sunday, unless further information was reported.

RCMP have contacted the family of those on board the plane and advised of the situation and the on-going searches.

Currently, the Vancouver Police Marine Unit, RCMP Underwater Recovery team, RCMP Air 5 helicopter and multiple search and rescue teams continue to search the surrounding area and Fraser River for the airplane. There have been no confirmed sightings, or recovery of any parts of the plane, and no contact with those on board.

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