The flight that went missing on January 23, 2013, the Kenn Borek Air de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter en route from the South Pole to Terra Nova Bay has been found.
Wreckage of the plane was found after it impacted terrain half way between South Pole and McMurdo Station.
The two helicopters that reached the crash site on Jan 26th could not land. They surveyed the area.
Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand said that
“The site of the crash is at a height of 3,900 metres (13,000 feet) at the northern end of the Queen Alexandra Range. The aircraft wreckage is on a very steep slope, close to the summit of Mount Elizabeth. It appears to have made a direct impact that was not survivable.”
The airline has the following release posted on their site:
PRESS RELEASE – KENN BOREK AIR LTD. – JANUARY 25, 2013
Friday evening Calgary time, a C130 Hercules aircraft of the New York Air National Guard made visual contact with the overdue aircraft in Antarctica. The sighting was confirmed approximately thirty minutes later by a Kenn Borek Air Ltd. Twin Otter aircraft deployed in a search and rescue (SAR) role. The crew of the SAR Twin Otter reports that the overdue aircraft impacted a steep snow and ice covered mountain slope. No signs of activity are evident in the area surrounding the site, and it appears that the impact was not survivable.
Due to the terrain and ongoing weather conditions, the SAR Twin Otter was unable to land near the site. Subject to favourable weather conditions, helicopter crews and mountain rescue personnel will attempt to access the accident site Saturday morning Calgary local time.
Further updates can be obtained directly from the Wellington Rescue Coordination Centre.
