Alderney lifeboat relaunched in search for missing aircraft off coast
Alderney’s RNLI all weather lifeboat 'Roy Barker I' was relaunched this morning at 8.40am to recommence a search for a light aircraft that was believed to be lost from radar off the coast of Alderney, the Northern most Channel Island, last night at 8.30pm.
The light aircraft was scheduled to have been travelling from Nantes in France to Cardiff in Wales, when all radar contact was lost off the coast of Alderney. The Piper Malibu aircraft is a single-engined plane with the capacity for one pilot and five passengers. It is believed that two persons were onboard.
A combined emergency air and sea search took place last night (Monday 21 January) at 8.45pm with Alderney’s lifeboat, two UK Coastguard helicopters, Channel Island Air Search, Guernsey Coastguard and the Guernsey lifeboat. The search which ended at 2.30am was inconclusive and has been re-established this morning.
Today's search will focus on the area to the west of Casquets Lighthouse, the North of Alderney, the Alderney Race and to the South of the Island. The Alderney Lifeboat will be searching alongside a French Coastguard Helicopter and Channel Island Air search and Rescue Aircraft.
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Media Contacts
Jo Parmentier, Alderney RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (07911) 723336 [email protected]
Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer, London and South East (07785) 296252
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
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