Dense fog and thick ice are hampering a search for a missing helicopter in the Davis Strait, off the east coast of Baffin Island flown by Russian pilot Sergey Ananov.

Ananov was travelling in a Robinson R-22 helicopter from Iqaluit, Nunavut to Greenland Saturday morning when the Canadian Forces Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Halifax received information about a marine distress broadcast reporting a missing helicopter.

Update 2: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JRCCHalifax?src=hash">#JRCCHalifax</a> confirms search efforts are ongoing. Weather is reported as poor in fog and low ceilings. <a href="https://twitter.com/CdnPress">@CdnPress</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCNorth">@cbcnorth</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCWam">@cbcwam</a> —@JTFAtlantic

The JRCC confirms they are looking for a helicopter with the registration call sign D-HDIM, the same aircraft Ananov was spotted refueling at the Iqaluit airport on Friday.

Two Hercules search and rescue aircraft and a Cormorant helicopter from 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia were dispatched to join the search. A Transport Canada patrol plane and a fishing boat that was in the area are also involved in the search.

Ananov is attempting to fly solo around the Arctic Circle in a helicopter weighing less than one tonne. He was making a stop in Iqaluit before flying to Greenland, a distance of more than 800 kilometres.

Major Martell Thompson, a spokesperson for the JRCC, said the helicopter was reported overdue at 3:20 p.m. ET Saturday.

More to come ...

