Pilot, 2 passengers on plane missing near Vancouver's North Shore found alive

The three people aboard a small plane that went missing north of Vancouveron Sundayhave been found alive after the pilot was forced to land on a glacier the Pemberton Ice Field, about 15 kilometres northwest of Callaghan Lake.

"It's a very great outcome," said Capt. Gregory Clark with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria.

"We're veryfortunateto havefound this aircraft in fairly good shape,and to have found three survivors and bring them home to their families."

Clark said the aircraft had been spotted on Sunday by snowmobilers, leading to the rescue Monday evening.

He said the passengers had left a note in the aircraft and taken refuge inthe valley.

"By all accounts, minus a bit of dehydration, and a bit of wear and tear from spending the night [outdoors], they're in pretty good shape," Clark said.

Clark wasn't able to comment on the circumstances that led to the emergency landing, adding the Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

Reported overdueon Sunday

The single-engine plane was reported overdue at about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

It went missing somewhere between Indian Arm on Vancouver's North Shore and Pemberton, B.C.

Earlier in the day,Clark saidthere was no flight plan filed, but officials believe they planned to fly fromPitt Meadows to PembertononSunday morningand return to the Lower Mainland around noon.

A Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopter and a Buffalo plane searched a rugged and remote 100-kilometre stretch between Indian Arm and Pemberton through the night. The search continued Monday morning.