Coast Guard ends search for co-pilot, passengers in plane crash

CLEVELAND – The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies have ended their search for four people missing after a Cessna 206 crashed into Lake Michigan, near Ludington, Mich., July 23, 2010.

The search was suspended at approximately 1:45 p.m., July 24, 2010.

The Coast Guard, along with Oceana and Mason County Sheriffs Departments and the Canadian Coast Guard, searched for more than 27 hours, across approximately 1,000 square miles, for the missing co-pilot and three passengers.

The Coast Guard dispatched search crews aboard a 25-foot response boat from Station Ludington and a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Station Manistee, Mich., and an additional HH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Traverse City, Mich.

A Coast Guard auxiliary aircraft and a Canadian Coast Guard C-130 aircraft, from Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton in Ontario, also aided in the search.

The Coast Guard suspends a search and rescue case with extremely great care and deliberation. After a probable search area is saturated several times with a maximum number of assets, resources and crew effort, and persons in distress are still not located, a decision is made to suspend a case.

The Coast Guard can resume a search if credible information is received that persons reported missing have survived.

For more information or media inquiries, contact the Ninth Coast Guard District Public Affairs office at 216-902-6020.

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