Skip to content

Search underway for float plane missing off West Coast

Multiple rescue aircraft have been dispatched near Hot Springs Cove to search for the plane with six on board.

A search is underway on the West Coast of Vancouver Island at this hour for a missing aircraft, with six on board.

At 10:55 am this morning, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) notified the Tofino RCMP that a distress call had been received from a fixed wing aircraft approximately three minutes after the aircraft took off from Hesquiaht Lake (near Hot Springs Cove). The float plane is believed to have had one pilot and five passengers on board, with an intended destination of Gold River.

Multiple rescue aircraft were dispatched by the JRCC, and continue to search for the missing aircraft at this hour. The RCMP West Coast Marine Section has a vessel in the area, and is repositioning to assist with the search efforts. The Tofino RCMP Detachment has units on the ground, and continues to work with the JRCC in the ongoing search efforts.

Rainy weather continues to produce limited visibility in the area.

No additional information on passengers is available at this time