3 feared dead after Antarctic plane found

Canadians aboard aircraft, which went missing Wednesday

Author: From Amir Ahmed and Phil Gast CNN
Published On: Jan 30 2013 03:53:06 PM CST   Updated On: Jan 26 2013 08:09:34 PM CST
OTD January 28 - Antarctica
(CNN) -

Authorities found the wreckage of a plane that crashed days ago in Antarctica in a condition that suggested no one survived.

Searchers found the plane, a Twin Otter aircraft carrying three people, close to the summit of Mount Elizabeth in Queen Alexandra Range, in Antarctica.

The plane "appears to have made a direct impact that was not survivable," Maritime New Zealand said Saturday.

On Sunday, the agency said a recovery effort was planned. While the crash site is remote, weather conditions were good for the operation.

The fate of the three Canadian crew members aboard the aircraft had been unknown since the the flight went missing Wednesday.

The plane was flying from the South Pole to an Italian base at Terra Nova Bay, Maritime New Zealand said.

The missing crew had a kit that included survival suits, mountain tents, and enough food and water for five days.

The aircraft was believed to have been flying at a height of 13,000 feet in the rugged Queen Alexandra Range. It is a long distance from any bases in Antarctica.

The Twin Otter was operated by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air Ltd.

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