Nov. 27 update: The missing pilot and passenger have been identified as Dominic Neron and Ashley Bourgeault. Latest update here.
Searchers are combing a mountainous area near Revelstoke, B.C. for any sign of a missing single-engine aircraft carrying two people that took off from Penticton en route to Edmonton on Saturday.
The white and burgundy striped Mooney airplane left Penticton around 2:30 p.m. Saturday and was reported four hours overdue from Edmonton around 10:40 p.m. Saturday night.
Searchers started looking immediately with a Hercules aircraft, and on Sunday several more helicopters joined the effort.
"We've had aircraft out searching today under challenging conditions to the best of their ability," said Victoria Joint Rescue Coordination Centre spokesperson Katelyn Moores. "They've ended the search for the evening but we'll resume the search at daylight tomorrow."
The pilot's cellphone was picked up by a cell tower about 32 kilometres northeast of Revelstoke on Saturday night, so searchers are focusing their efforts near the tower and up into Rogers Pass.
Parks Canada had two helicopters in the air and the Canadian Armed Forces Comox base sent a Cormorant helicopter. Searchers also chartered another helicopter out of Revelstoke.
"Unfortunately there was a very low ceiling in the area and that prevented a number of other aircraft from entering the search today," Moores said.
