Photo: CTV News

Former SNC-Lavalin vice-president Stephane Roy leaves a courtroom in Montreal on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

A search is under way for a prominent Quebec businessman and his son, who did not return from a fishing trip in northern Quebec as planned.

Sagami Inc., a giant in the greenhouse tomato industry, says in a statement that everything is being done to ensure its president, Stephane Roy, and his son are found safe.

The two were expected to return from a fishing trip on Wednesday.

The statement says Roy, the founder of the company, is an experienced pilot with numerous flight hours aboard the craft in question, a Robinson R44 helicopter.

The company says it's too early to know what happened and has been in contact with Quebec provincial police and the Canadian Forces, who are conducting searches in the Parent district of La Tuque, Que., more than 400 kilometres north of Montreal.

A provincial police spokesman says family members reported the pair missing in the area Thursday morning.

"According to preliminary reports, four people left, two in a helicopter and two in a seaplane to a chalet ... these people were to return yesterday (Wednesday)," said spokesman Claude Denis.

The aircraft returned as scheduled but the helicopter did not.

Police say anyone spotting a helicopter in distress between Parent and Ste-Sophie, in the Laurentians region, should call them.