Floatplane crashes off Canadian west coast, six missing

VANCOUVER, Nov. 29 -- Six people were missing but two were rescued after a floatplane crashed off Canada's west coast Sunday afternoon.

The crash happened at 4:10 p.m. local time (0010 GMT, Monday) off Saturna Island, a small island between Vancouver Island and the mainland of the western province of British Columbia (BC), when the plane was heading for Victoria, the capital city of BC in the Vancouver Island, according to search and rescue officials.

Officials of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria said two people, including the pilot and a female passenger were pulled out of the frigid waters by 5:30 p.m. (0130 GMT, Monday) while rescuers were searching for the other six passengers including an infant, who are feared dead.

Search efforts continue even in darkness with several surface vessels and two aircrafts and are expected to be suspended later Sunday and resume Monday morning, officials said.

The cause of the accident was unclear. Witness said the plane made a loud noise like a muffler backfiring and nosedived into the water.