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Remains found in Fossett's plane Remains found in Fossett's plane
(about 4 hours later)
US investigators say they have found human remains amid the wreckage of adventurer Steve Fossett's plane in a remote area of eastern California. US investigators say they have found what they believe may be human remains amid the wreckage of adventurer Steve Fossett's plane in eastern California.
The remains, although minimal, are said to be enough to provide a DNA sample for identification testing.The remains, although minimal, are said to be enough to provide a DNA sample for identification testing.
The 63-year-old millionaire disappeared a year ago while on a solo flight from a ranch in Nevada.The 63-year-old millionaire disappeared a year ago while on a solo flight from a ranch in Nevada.
A fresh search began on Wednesday after items belonging to Mr Fossett were handed in to police by a hiker. His plane was finally located on Wednesday after a hiker handed items belonging to Mr Fossett to police.
The wreckage of his plane was found near the town of Mammoth Lakes in California. 'Bone fragment'
Most of the fuselage had disintegrated, with engine parts scattered several hundred feet away. Click here to see a map of the area The wreckage was found during an aerial search of a stretch of the Sierra Nevada mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes in a remote part of California. Click here to see a map of the area
Mr Fossett vanished in September last year after taking off 90 miles (145km) away on a solo flight. A ground team later confirmed the identity of the plane, which local officials said seemed to have struck the mountainside head-on. 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7648259.stm">In pictures: Steve Fossett class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/2078591.stm">Profile: Steve Fossett
Bad weather Most of the fuselage had disintegrated, with engine parts scattered several hundred feet away.
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. Search teams combing the site found more personal effects and what they described as a bone fragment.
A ground team later confirmed the identity of the plane, which seemed to have struck the mountainside head-on, Mr Anderson said. "We found human remains, but there's very little," said Mark Rosenker, acting chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.
On Thursday, British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson paid tribute to his friend and fellow adventurer. DNA tests would be performed on the material, he said.
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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7648259.stm">In pictures: Steve Fossett class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/2078591.stm">Profile: Steve Fossett Madera County Sheriff John Anderson confirmed the find but injected a note of caution. "We don't know if it's human. It certainly could be," he said.
"The most important thing is that the family know what's happened," he said. Officials now plan to remove the wreckage of the plane for reassembly and examination. But snow is expected over the weekend, which could potentially hamper the investigation.
Steve Fossett became the first person to circle the globe solo in a balloon in 2002 and had about 100 other world records to his name.
He vanished in September 2007 after taking off from a Nevada ranch for a solo flight.
For more than a year there was no trace of him, despite an intensive search.
But on Monday a hiker found identification documents belonging to him, triggering an aerial search of a new area.
"I hope now to be able to bring to closure a very painful chapter in my life," his widow, Peggy, said in a statement.
"I prefer to think about Steve's life rather than his death and celebrate his many extraordinary accomplishments."
British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson also paid tribute to his friend and fellow adventurer.
"He led an extraordinary, absolutely remarkable life, and now we can remember him for what he was and move on.""He led an extraordinary, absolutely remarkable life, and now we can remember him for what he was and move on."
The National Transportation Safety Board will be responsible for examining the wreckage.
But a local official said snow was expected over the weekend, which could potentially hamper the investigation.
The wreckage was located two days after 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.
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, an employee at a sporting goods store, said he had 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.
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.
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