Update:
The search continues for Jody and Nicole Blais who disappeared Monday night as they were flying home to Kapuskasing from a vacation in Nashville.
CTV Northern Ontario's Drew McMillin spoke to Jody's brother, Michael, who said the missing man is an experienced pilot who would have been prepared for an emergency with warm winter clothing and sleeping bags.
CTV News spoke to David Lavallee, who is a public affairs officer with the Canadian Armed Forces Air Division Thursday afternoon.
He confirmed that the Royal Canadian Air Force has deployed several planes to assist with the search and rescue efforts for the missing couple.
"The Royal Canadian Air Force has several aircraft participating in the search, including: a CC-130H Hercules and a CH-146 Griffon helicopter from 424 Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton, Ont.; a CC-130H Hercules from Winnipeg-based 435 Squadron; and a CH-146 Griffon from 439 Squadron at 3 Wing Bagotville, Qué. Of note, the two aircraft from Trenton and the Hercules from Winnipeg participated in the search yesterday, and are again supporting today, whereas the CH-146 Griffon from Bagotville was added today to help with the ongoing search.
In addition to the RCAF assets, a Cessna 337 and a Cessna 182, both from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) with spotters onboard are also involved. Ontario Provincial Police ground search teams are also on the ground assisting the search, which is ongoing." said Lavallee.
Original:
A search is on for a missing northern Ontario couple who were flying home to Kapuskasing this week by helicopter.
Ontario Provincial Police say 47-year-old Nicole Blais and 49-year-old Jody Blais were reported missing March 6 after their helicopter failed to return to its hanger in Fauquier, Ont. as scheduled.
Family members of the couple say the pair was travelling back to the north in a helicopter Monday night and that they were due to arrive home in Kapsuskasing around 8 pm.
Jody's sister, Charlene, told CTV News that the couple stopped in Sudbury for fuel and spoke to their brother, Michael, around 6:30 pm Monday, and that was the last contact they had with them.
OPP says the couple was last seen leaving Sudbury at 6:45 pm March 4.
Charlene also says that the last ping on a cellphone belonging to the couple came from the Timmins area sometime after 7 pm.
She says the pair would be equipped for winter weather.
CTV News has been told the search area is between Sudbury and Kapuskasing, and that OPP search and rescue teams are assisting. Police are receiving assistance from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
Charlene says the community has come together to perform a land search using skidoos and all-terrain vehicles.
Family members say they were travelling together as a pair, and that the husband, Jody, is the pilot of the helicopter.
Anyone with information that could help with the investigation is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
