Former military fighter pilot and his son feared dead after Majorca plane crash into the sea
By GERAD COUZENS
An ex-military fighter pilot and his teenage son are feared dead after their plane crashed into the sea off Majorca.
Police confirmed on Sunday morning specialist divers were continuing to search for the occupants after locating the wreckage of the two-seat Team Rocket F-4 Raider sport plane capable of doing speeds of more than 250mph.
The plane was seen crashing into the sea near the tourist town of Soller just after 8pm on Saturday after being spotted doing air acrobatics including 'daring but legal' 360-Degree turns.
The occupants have been described locally as a former American military combat pilot aged around 60 who lives in Germany and has a holiday home in Majorca. He is understood to currently work as a commercial pilot.
Eye-witnesses have said the plane he was believed to be in performed a series of adventurous stunts off the coast before returning to Binissalem Aerodrome where he had taken off from earlier in the day to pick up his passenger.
Respected Majorcan daily Ultima Hora said the second person feared dead in the crash was the American pilot's 13-year-old child.
Police have not yet made any official comment about the identities and nationalities of the confirmed two occupants of the plane.
The Civil Guard said early on Sunday morning: 'The search for two occupants is continuing this morning following the plane accident yesterday evening.
An ex-military fighter pilot and his teenage son are feared dead after their plane crashed into the sea off Majorca
The plane was seen crashing into the sea near the tourist town of Soller just after 8pm on Saturday after being spotted doing air acrobatics including 'daring but legal' 360-Degree turns
Police have not yet made any official comment about the identities and nationalities of the confirmed two occupants of the plane
The two-seat Team Rocket F-4 Raider sport plane is capable of doing speeds of more than 250mph
The crash took place at around 8pm on Saturday opposite the Soller lighthouse in the popular tourist destination
'The accident happened around 8pm opposite the Soller lighthouse and in waters about 30 metres deep.
'Specialists from the Civil Guard's elite GEA diving unit, the Maritime Service and the Air Service are still conducting a search.
In an initial statement late on Saturday the force said: 'The two-seater plane had left Binissalem Aerodrome around 6pm yesterday and the accident happened around 100 metres from the coast opposite the lighthouse in Soller Port.
'The remains of the plane have been located but we still have no information about the number of people inside.
'We have spoken to an eye-witness on a boat who saw the accident.'
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