A search mission will enter its second day today after a pilot went missing following reports of a plane crashing into the sea near Anglesey.
Last night the aircraft was revealed to be a Cessna 172S and was pictured parked up on the tarmac at Caernarfon Airport, before it is believed to have crashed near Puffin Island on Monday.
Police confirmed last night that the small plane had just one person on board when it disappeared from radar at around 12.47pm yesterday afternoon.
The plane set off from Caernarfon Airport some 25 minutes earlier to fly to the Great Orme in Llandudno and was on its way back when it lost contact.
According to data from flightradar24.com, a Cessna light aircraft making the same route at the time given by police and the Coastguard descended near the uninhabited Puffin Island before it disappeared.
The plane above is thought to be the aircraft involved in the accident and is shown parked up on Monday
Lifeboat with its six volunteer crew, arrived back at the station last night having spent just under eight hours searching for the plane crash site off the coast of Anglesey
Pictured above is a lifeboat search pattern for the crashed plane after a rescue mission was launched yesterday
Just before 10pm last night rescue boats returned to the station after spending under eight hours searching for the plane.
North Wales Police tweeted yesterday afternoon: ‘Multi agency operation underway at sea off Anglesey coast following report of incident involving light aircraft.’
The search was suspended around 10pm on Monday. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency added: ‘The search will continue in the morning, we have no further information at this time.’
Images taken yesterday were able to show the patterns made by search operators scouring the area for the missing aircraft.
The Coastguard has confirmed that it is coordinating a search and rescue mission and its helicopter is out flying near Puffin Island as part of the efforts.
North Wales Police (vehicle pictured on the coastline) tweeted: ‘Multi agency operation underway at sea off Anglesey coast following report of incident involving light aircraft.’ Right: A helicopter scans the area
The map above shows the coastguard helicopter out of the Caernarfon airport searching for the crashed plane yesterday afternoon
Police say they were called at 12.59pm to reports of a possible crash. It is believed to involve a light aircraft which is most likely to be privately owned.
A spokesman yesterday said: ‘We received a call at 12.59pm reporting a possible crash involving a light aircraft in the Penmon area.
‘Officers are currently assisting HM Coastguard and our enquiries are ongoing.’
Emergency services arrive at Penmon on Anglesey responding to report of the plane crash yesterday afternoon
A coastguard helicopter (pictured above yesterday) searched the area as police vehicles stood by
The aircraft, thought to be a Cessna 172S, is believed to have crashed near Puffin Island on Monday afternoon
A map shows the location of a plane crash off the coast of Anglesey, north Wales on Monday afternoon
