Channel Islands: Search for footballer's plane ends

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON

The search for the light plane carrying Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala has been now called off “as the chances of survival at this stage are extremely remote,” a statement by officials on the Channel Island of Guernsey said Thursday.

A Guernsey Police statement quoted the harbormaster, Capt. David Baker, as saying that the search and rescue team have met to review the “operation which has been under way since the plane disappeared on Monday night.”

The airplane was en route to Cardiff from Nantes, France before it disappeared from the radar Monday evening over the English Channel near the Channel Islands.

“Despite the best efforts of air and search assets from the Channel Islands, U.K. and France, which covered an area of approximately 1,700 square miles [4,400 square kilometers] – with a significant amount of this searched more than once – and having examined mobile phone data and satellite imagery, we have been unable to find any trace of the aircraft, the pilot or the passenger,” Baker said.

“We reviewed all the information available to us, as well as knowing what emergency equipment was on board, and have taken the difficult decision to end the search,” he said, adding that “the chances of survival at this stage are extremely remote.”

He said: “Next of kin have been informed of this development, and my thoughts go out to the family of the pilot and passenger at this most difficult of times.”

“Although we are no longer actively searching, the incident remains open and we will be broadcasting to all vessels and aircraft in the area to keep a look out for any trace of the aircraft. This will continue indefinitely.”

When he disappeared, the Argentinian footballer was on his way to join his new club, Cardiff City FC, after signing a contract of £15 million ($19.5 million).

The pilot of the airplane has been identified by British media as David Ibbotson.

Sala reportedly sent a message via voicemail to his father, saying he was frightened the plane was about to break up.

According to media reports in Argentina, he said: "I’m here on a plane that looks like it’s about to fall apart, and I’m going to Cardiff.

"If in an hour-and-a-half you have no news from me, I don’t know if they are going to send someone to look for me because they cannot find me, but you know … Dad, how scared am I!”