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| Wreck confirmed as Fossett plane | Wreck confirmed as Fossett plane |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The wreckage of a plane found near the town of Mammoth Lakes in California does belong to missing US adventurer Steve Fossett, officials say. | The wreckage of a plane found near the town of Mammoth Lakes in California does belong to missing US adventurer Steve Fossett, officials say. |
| A number plate confirmed the plane as the Bellanca Super Decathlon owned by the 63-year-old millionaire. No body has yet been found. | A number plate confirmed the plane as the Bellanca Super Decathlon owned by the 63-year-old millionaire. No body has yet been found. |
| The search began after a hiker found items thought to belong to Mr Fossett. | The search began after a hiker found items thought to belong to Mr Fossett. |
| He vanished in September last year on a solo flight that took off 90 miles (145km) away in neighbouring Nevada. | He vanished in September last year on a solo flight that took off 90 miles (145km) away in neighbouring Nevada. |
| Click here to see a map of the area | Click here to see a map of the area |
| A wide-ranging search operation conducted since then had failed to find any trace of Mr Fossett or his plane and he was legally declared dead by a court in Chicago in February. | A wide-ranging search operation conducted since then had failed to find any trace of Mr Fossett or his plane and he was legally declared dead by a court in Chicago in February. |
| Fuselage shattered | Fuselage shattered |
| Madera County Sheriff John Anderson said the wreckage had been spotted late on Wednesday during an aerial search of a stretch of the Sierra Nevada mountains near Mammoth Lakes. | Madera County Sheriff John Anderson said the wreckage had been spotted late on Wednesday during an aerial search of a stretch of the Sierra Nevada mountains near Mammoth Lakes. |
| A ground team later confirmed the identity of the plane, which seemed to have struck the mountain head-on, Mr Anderson said. | A ground team later confirmed the identity of the plane, which seemed to have struck the mountain head-on, Mr Anderson said. |
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| Madera County Sheriff John Anderson and hiker Preston Morrow on the find | |
| He added: "The crash looked so severe I doubt if someone would have walked away from it. | He added: "The crash looked so severe I doubt if someone would have walked away from it. |
| "There was no body in the plane. We have not found any human remains at the crash site. | "There was no body in the plane. We have not found any human remains at the crash site. |
| "It's quite often if you don't find remains within a few days, because of animals, you'll find nothing at all." | "It's quite often if you don't find remains within a few days, because of animals, you'll find nothing at all." |
| SOME OF FOSSETT'S RECORDS 1998/2002: Long-distance for solo ballooning2001/2002: Duration for solo ballooning2002: First solo round-the-world balloon flightFirst balloon crossings of Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, South Atlantic, South Pacific, Indian OceansSeven fastest speed sailing titles13 World Sailing Speed Record Council titles2001: Fastest transatlantic sailing2004: Fastest round-the-world sailingRound-the-world titles for medium airplanesUS transcontinental titles for non-military aircraft In pictures: Steve FossettProfile: Steve Fossett | |
| Most of the fuselage had disintegrated, with engine parts scattered several hundred feet away. | Most of the fuselage had disintegrated, with engine parts scattered several hundred feet away. |
| Mr Anderson said there would now be an extensive search for human remains by about 50 people and five dog teams. | Mr Anderson said there would now be an extensive search for human remains by about 50 people and five dog teams. |
| The National Transportation Safety Board will be responsible for examining the wreckage. | The National Transportation Safety Board will be responsible for examining the wreckage. |
| Identity documents bearing Mr Fossett's name - including a pilot's licence - as well as cash and a sweatshirt were found by hiker Preston Morrow on Monday about a quarter of a mile from the wreckage. | Identity documents bearing Mr Fossett's name - including a pilot's licence - as well as cash and a sweatshirt were found by hiker Preston Morrow on Monday about a quarter of a mile from the wreckage. |
| Mr Morrow had been returning from a mountain walk when he spotted the items in dirt and pine needles west of Mammoth Lakes. | Mr Morrow had been returning from a mountain walk when he spotted the items in dirt and pine needles west of Mammoth Lakes. |
| An employee at a sporting goods store, Mr Morrow said he handed them over to police after unsuccessful attempts to contact the Fossett family. | An employee at a sporting goods store, Mr Morrow said he handed them over to police after unsuccessful attempts to contact the Fossett family. |
| The BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani, in Los Angeles, says the items were found outside the vast area searched after Mr Fossett went missing - and also in a different direction to that in which he was thought to have flown. | The BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani, in Los Angeles, says the items were found outside the vast area searched after Mr Fossett went missing - and also in a different direction to that in which he was thought to have flown. |
| Mammoth Lakes has an elevation of about 7,800ft (2,400m) and is on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada range. | Mammoth Lakes has an elevation of about 7,800ft (2,400m) and is on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada range. |
| Its community liaison officer, Stuart Brown, told the BBC severe weather could now hamper the ongoing investigation. | Its community liaison officer, Stuart Brown, told the BBC severe weather could now hamper the ongoing investigation. |
| "We've got six to 12 inches of snow coming in Friday night, Saturday, with high winds - our first big storm of the season - so we'll just have to see how that affects the search," he said. | "We've got six to 12 inches of snow coming in Friday night, Saturday, with high winds - our first big storm of the season - so we'll just have to see how that affects the search," he said. |
| Mr Fossett took off from the ranch of hotel magnate Barron Hilton, south of Yerington, Nevada, on 3 September 2007 on a flight that was expected to last three hours. | Mr Fossett took off from the ranch of hotel magnate Barron Hilton, south of Yerington, Nevada, on 3 September 2007 on a flight that was expected to last three hours. |
| In 2002, he became the first person to circle the globe solo in a balloon and had about 100 other world records to his name. | In 2002, he became the first person to circle the globe solo in a balloon and had about 100 other world records to his name. |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |