Antarctic rescue mission says forecasted weather break could be good news
By Bob Weber - Friday, January 25, 2013 - 0 Comments
A forecasted break in the weather could be the best opportunity for searchers to…
A forecasted break in the weather could be the best opportunity for searchers to find a group of Canadians missing in Antarctica.
Steve Rendle of New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre said skies were expected to clear in the area Saturday morning local time — Friday afternoon in Alberta — which could allow rescue teams to fly over where the plane owned by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air is believed to have gone down.
The Twin Otter began transmitting signals from its emergency locator beacon early Wednesday. Aircraft tried twice to spot it in the mountainous area where it went down but failed due to heavy, low cloud.
If the weather clears, Rendle said they hope to establish a base of operations at a runway and fuel depot located at the Beardmore Glacier, about 50 kilometres from the presumed crash site. Continue…
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Antarctic rescue flight turned back due to bad weather
By Diana Mehta - Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 3:30 PM - 0 Comments
A rescue flight on its way to a group of Canadians stranded in Antarctica…
A rescue flight on its way to a group of Canadians stranded in Antarctica has had to turn around because of bad weather.
Rescue officials in New Zealand had hoped the weather had lifted enough to give spotters their first look at the site where the Canadians’ plane went down.
But Steve Rendle of that country’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre says clouds were still too low and too thick.
Instead, the crews will try to set up a forward base closer to the crash site.
Rendle says the weather isn’t expected to improve for another 12 hours.
No information was available on the fate of the three men aboard the ski-equipped Twin Otter, which is owned by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air.
