A small sport plane carrying a man and a woman went missing north of Kiruna after takeoff from the airport. Relatives raised the alarm on Saturday evening when they lost contact, prompting a major search operation. The couple was later found safe and sound in their cabin due to satellite phone issues.
On Saturday, a small sport plane took off from Kiruna Airport carrying a man and a woman, heading to a mountain cabin about 80 kilometers north. The aircraft is equipped for terrain landings, and weather conditions were favorable. Throughout the day, the couple made no contact, and relatives alerted authorities around 8 PM.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) launched a major search in the remote area north of Kiruna, toward the Norwegian border. Involved were a rescue helicopter from Norway, an ambulance helicopter from Gällivare, mountain rescuers, emergency services, and police.
Late in the evening, the Norwegian helicopter spotted smoke from the cabin's chimney. The crew landed and found the couple safe and well. The plane was undamaged, and they had landed as planned but encountered issues with their satellite phone to reach relatives.
"They have found the couple. They are fine and in the cabin. They flew and landed but had problems contacting relatives via satellite phone," said Johan Wahlström, spokesperson for JRCC, to SVT.
The man is believed to be the experienced pilot. No injuries were reported, and the operation concluded without complications.
