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Plane search teams find wreckage Plane search teams find wreckage
(29 minutes later)
Rescue teams searching for a British light aircraft which went missing over mountains in the Irish republic say a plane has been found.Rescue teams searching for a British light aircraft which went missing over mountains in the Irish republic say a plane has been found.
A Piper PA-28 single engine plane took off from Gloucester on Saturday morning but failed to land, as expected, at Kilrush in County Kildare at noon.A Piper PA-28 single engine plane took off from Gloucester on Saturday morning but failed to land, as expected, at Kilrush in County Kildare at noon.
Airport officials said the four people on board were from Gloucestershire.Airport officials said the four people on board were from Gloucestershire.
Gardai, the Irish Coastguard and Irish Aviation Authority said wreckage had been found but had no further details. Gardai, the Irish Coastguard and Irish Aviation Authority said wreckage had been found near Corriebrock mountain.
The plane left Gloucestershire Airport at about 1000 BST on Saturday.The plane left Gloucestershire Airport at about 1000 BST on Saturday.
But the last radar sighting was at 1230 BST over the Wicklow mountains, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said.But the last radar sighting was at 1230 BST over the Wicklow mountains, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said.
Mountain rescueMountain rescue
Gardai, the Coastguard, Defence Forces, and mountain rescue personnel from Dublin, Wicklow, Tipperary and Northern Ireland began a major search of the rugged terrain at about 0630 GMT on Sunday.Gardai, the Coastguard, Defence Forces, and mountain rescue personnel from Dublin, Wicklow, Tipperary and Northern Ireland began a major search of the rugged terrain at about 0630 GMT on Sunday.
Superintendent Michael Lernihan, co-ordinating the search, said weather conditions were mixed.Superintendent Michael Lernihan, co-ordinating the search, said weather conditions were mixed.
"It is very cold, windy," he said."It is very cold, windy," he said.
It is understood up to 40 mountain rescue personnel were involved in the search, along with about 15 gardai from the north Wicklow town of Bray.It is understood up to 40 mountain rescue personnel were involved in the search, along with about 15 gardai from the north Wicklow town of Bray.
The Garda Helicopter and Dublin-based Coastguard helicopter were also called in.The Garda Helicopter and Dublin-based Coastguard helicopter were also called in.
I checked the whole airfield to see if there was a plane on the ground Ian Valentine, Kilrush AirfieldI checked the whole airfield to see if there was a plane on the ground Ian Valentine, Kilrush Airfield
The IAA said Dublin air traffic control had monitored the flight before passing it over to Kilrush air traffice control a little over ten minutes before the last sighting at on Saturday.The IAA said Dublin air traffic control had monitored the flight before passing it over to Kilrush air traffice control a little over ten minutes before the last sighting at on Saturday.
But it was not until 1800 BST that a relative of the pilot raised concerns about the plane's whereabouts.But it was not until 1800 BST that a relative of the pilot raised concerns about the plane's whereabouts.
The operator of the privately operated Kilrush Airfield, Ian Valentine, said he had not been made aware the plane was due to land there.The operator of the privately operated Kilrush Airfield, Ian Valentine, said he had not been made aware the plane was due to land there.
He said he received a text message from the pilot - believed to be a 40-year-old man - earlier in the week but he would normally expect a phone call on the day of the flight.He said he received a text message from the pilot - believed to be a 40-year-old man - earlier in the week but he would normally expect a phone call on the day of the flight.
Mr Valentine added: "I checked the whole airfield to see if there was a plane on the ground and there wasn't of course."Mr Valentine added: "I checked the whole airfield to see if there was a plane on the ground and there wasn't of course."
He described the pilot as an experienced flyer who had travelled to the Irish Republic about twice a year for the past seven years.He described the pilot as an experienced flyer who had travelled to the Irish Republic about twice a year for the past seven years.