The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is searching for a pilot that went missing over the ocean after taking off from Sebastian Municipal Airport on Sunday morning, officials said. There was only one person aboard the plane, said Nicholas Strasburg, petty officer third-class for the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
The Coast Guard assisted the Royal Bahamas Defense Force after a friend of the pilot reported the person missing, Strasburg said. Federal Aviation Administration officials said the single-engine BRM Aero Bristell departed from the Sebastian airport on Sunday.
The aircraft was headed to Freeport, Bahamas, Strasburg said.
“The plane’s last known position was approximately 50 miles northwest of Freeport, Bahamas,” FAA officials said in a statement.
The FAA issued an alert notice informing agencies the aircraft was reported overdue. The Coast Guard used aircrafts to scan the waters for the missing plane.
Details on how many square miles were searched were not immediately available. Further information on the pilot was not available.