Underwater footage shows body in missing plane wreckage

Monday 04 February 2019

Video footage taken of the missing Piper Malibu plane which has been found lying on the seabed north of Alderney has shown 'one occupant' remains on board.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch also confirmed in a statement this morning that it is definitely the light aircraft which disappeared off radar two weeks ago carrying footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot Dave Ibbotson.

The wreckage is said to be largely intact, with its registration visible and "one occupant visible" in ROV footage captured since it was found yesterday morning.

The AAIB is continuing its work at the site where the plane ditched into the Channel today and has said it will release an interim report with more detail in a month's time.

Pictured: Dave Ibbotson and Emiliano Sala. The boat is the one commissioned by shipwreck hunter David Mearns. His crew found the missing plane yesterday. 

The statement, released by an AAIB spokesperson, said important discoveries have been made so far, and further information will be released over the coming weeks. 

The AAIB search had operated alongside a privately funded search vessel, commissioned by 'shipwreck hunter' David Mearns, whose crew found the plane yesterday morning. The 'Morven' then returned to St Peter Port Harbour, leaving the AAIB to carry out its official enquiries. 

"The AAIB commissioned specialist vessel Geo Ocean III and Blue Water Recoveries Ltd commissioned FPV Morven and the search area was divided between the vessels. Both vessels began their search on the morning of Sunday 3 February," said the AAIB today. 

"Early in the search, the Morven identified an object of interest on the seabed using its side-scan sonar equipment. It cleared the immediate area for the Geo Ocean III to use its underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to survey the area of the seabed in which the object was located.  Based on analysis of ROV video footage, the AAIB investigators on board the vessel concluded that the object is wreckage from the missing Piper Malibu aircraft, registration N264DB." 

That part of the plane is pictured above. The AAIB has also confirmed it carried on looking for other parts of the light aircraft after yesterday's discovery, but it hasn't found anything else yet.

The search so far has confirmed one of the two men on board is still inside the plane. 

"Tragically, in video footage from the ROV, one occupant is visible amidst the wreckage. The AAIB is now considering the next steps, in consultation with the families of the pilot and passenger, and the police," said the AAIB in its statement. 

Pictured: The GEO Ocean III, top left, is the AAIB vessel. It is still in position above the area where the missing Piper Malibu has been found, with one body confirmed on board.

Pictured top: The plane lying at the bottom of the Channel. Image provided by the AAIB.