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Steve Fossett 'missing' in Nevada Steve Fossett 'missing' in Nevada
(20 minutes later)
A plane flown by record breaking US adventurer Steve Fossett is missing in the Nevada desert, US federal aviation officials have said. A plane flown by record-breaking US adventurer Steve Fossett is missing in the Nevada desert, US federal aviation officials have said.
According to local newspaper, the Nevada Record-Courier, Mr Fossett was last seen taking off south of Smith Valley, Nevada on Monday evening. According to a local newspaper, the Nevada Record-Courier, Mr Fossett was last seen taking off south of Smith Valley, Nevada, on Monday evening.
He was reportedly flying a blue and white single engine plane.He was reportedly flying a blue and white single engine plane.
Civil air patrol spokeswoman Major Cynthia Ryan told PA news that a search for 63-year-old was already under way. A Civil Air Patrol spokeswoman, Major Cynthia Ryan, told PA news that a search for 63-year-old was under way.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said that authorities had been alerted when a friend reported Mr Fossett missing.
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 trans-continental titles for non-military aircraft
"The Civil Air Patrol is looking for him. One problem is he doesn't appear to have filed a flight plan," Mr Gregor told the Associated Press news agency.
Mr Gregor said that the Air Force's Rescue Co-ordination Center in Langley, Virginia was overseeing the search.
"They are working on some leads, but they don't know where he is right now," he was quoted as saying.
Mr Fossett has an impressive number of world records to his name.
Last year he broke the world record for flying further than anyone else in history.
In March 2005, he became the first person to fly a plane solo around the world without refuelling.
And in 2002 he was the first person to fly a balloon around the world solo.