Guernsey Press

Sala's family flown over seas where plane was lost, seabed survey planned

Footballer Emiliano Sala's family have been flown around the area where last contact was made by the plane that was carrying him.

Published
Emiliano Sala's sister Romina (second left) and mother Mercedes listen to Blue Water Recoveries director David Mearns (23746590)

His sister Romina and mother Mercedes were taken aboard a Dornier this morning to fly around Alderney, the Casquets and Burhou.

At a press conference at Guernsey Airport this afternoon, they listened as Blue Water Recoveries director David Mearns talked about plans to find and recover the plane that was piloted by David Ibbotson.

It disappeared over the English Channel on Monday evening.

The official search was called off on Thursday, but crowd funding for a private operation has topped £269,000.

The family did not comment on the situation.

Mr Mearns plans to bring special equipment over to Guernsey by the end of the week.

This will allow them to survey the seabed for the plane.

He is under the impression it is not in the underwater valley Hurds Deep, but more likely about 60 meters down.

Mr Mearns said he has found planes as deep as 5,000 meters in the past, but cautioned that the weather was against them.