Plane falls through High Arctic ice

Five people are safe after the Twin Otter airplane they were in broke through the High Arctic ice on Monday.

The aircraft, operated by northern aviation company Kenn Borek Air Ltd., had landed about 150 kilometres north of Alert when its undercarriage went through the ice.

The three passengers and two crew members got out of the plane safely, and no one was injured. The aircraft became half-submerged in the water, and company officials say it is not yet clear if it can be salvaged.

The passengers, who were conducting a scientific survey in the High Arctic, spent about two hours on the ice before they were rescued.

A spokesman for Kenn Borek Air said the pilot was not to blame for the accident, as the ice appeared to be about three metres thick when it was actually about 30 centimetres thick.

The spokesman said the company has not had an accident like this in more than 25 years.