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Poor weather hampers search for missing plane


December 05, 2019 - 1003 views

North Wales Police have just issued an update on the progress of their search for the missing Cessna light aircraft which was reported missing on Monday 25th November.  

Professor David Last was flying from Caernarfon Airport to the Great Orme when the plane was though to have gone down in the water just off Puffin Island.

Police have confirmed that the search has been suspended due to the weather in the Irish Sea. Inspector Dave Corcoran, the head of the North West Police Underwater Search and Marine unit is leading the team.

Inspector Corcoran said: “The search for the missing Cessna light aircraft has been continuing over the last few days. It has been temporarily suspended due to the weather in the Irish Sea and will resume when the weather improves.

“Over the last several days our Police Underwater Search Team, working closely with the AAIB, have been concentrating the search in an area near the last known radar sighting of the aircraft”.

Chief Inspector Essi Ahari said:” We are very grateful for the support we have received from our colleagues in the Police Underwater Search team, H.M. Coastguard, RNLI, the AAIB and the staff at Caernarfon Airport as part of this ongoing investigation.

“To add to this, the search was supported last Friday and Saturday by the Prince Madog Research Vessel, and we would like to thank the Prince Madog crew,  P+O Maritime and the University of Wales Bangor for the significant assistance they have provided to this ongoing search operation.”

Both the Coroner for North West Wales, Mr Dewi Pritchard Jones and Professor Last’s family are being regularly updated, and North Wales Police have reiterated their request that the privacy of Professor last’s family continues to be respected whilst the search is ongoing.