PASCAGOULA, Miss. –Coast Guard and local agencies have suspended their search for the three people who were aboard a Lancair single-engine plane near Pascagoula, Wednesday.
Response crews covered more than 3,500 square miles during the search after receiving a report of the missing plane Monday evening. Rescue crews continuously searched for more than 400 hours combined.
Coast Guard and local agencies suspended their search at 6:38 p.m.
"Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the missing men," said Capt. Brandon Lechthaler, deputy commander, Coast Guard Sector Mobile. "Suspending a search is a difficult decision to make. Our goal for every search and rescue mission is to find survivors and return them to their loved ones. We’ll investigate any new leads on this case and resume searching if appropriate.”
Participating in the search were small boat crews from Coast Guard Stations Pascagoula and Gulfport, Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans helicopter crews, Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft crews, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
The search is suspended pending further information.