Wreckage Located Near Remote Lake, Inaccessible By Ground

A helicopter -- four hours overdue in reaching its destination of Points North Landing, a mining supply outpost more than 500 miles north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada -- was reported missing Sunday evening.

Helo wreckage, believed to be that of the missing AS350 (type shown above), was found by Defense Department search and rescue aircraft around Bernick Lake, a remote area of northern Saskatchewan. The two people that had been on board were not seen near the crash site, according to the CanWest News Service.

"There were two people on board. They've been missing since last (Sunday) night," said Canadian Forces Maj. Gerry Favre, of the National Rescue Coordination Center in Ottawa.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police recovery dive team is scheduled to go to the lake and assist with the search Tuesday.

"We have a rescue helicopter from Cold Lake, Alta., that is on scene at this time, searching, we have a civil air search and rescue aircraft as well, that's going to be assisting," Favre said.

"We had one Hercules (aircraft), it's just back right now refueling, and we're just going to determine how we're going to be able to use them to continue on in the search at this time."

The area is not accessible from the ground, according to Favre, and there are no residents in the area where the debris was located.

RCMP spokeswoman Heather Russell said searchers have not found the small, privately owned aircraft's fuselage yet.

"They have not yet retrieved the helicopter. It's believed the helicopter may be in the lake," she said. "So at this moment, the search is for both the helicopter and the individuals who were aboard."

Authorities declined to identify the owner of the helicopter but two men aboard the missing helo were said to have been in the area on business, possibly in relation to the several mines in the region, Favre said. 

FMI: www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/8wing/squadron/jrcc_link_e.asp