The Emiliano Sala search has made another huge discovery, as search team discovers a body in underwater wreckage of the plane that disappeared while carrying Emiliano Sala and the pilot of the plane known as David Ibbotson.
According to report on the Emiliano Sala search, the UK’s Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) who made the discovery, in a statement said it was considering its next steps in consultation with the families of Sala and the pilot, David Ibbotson, and the police.
“Having identified a priority search area last week, the AAIB agreed a search strategy with Blue Water Recoveries Ltd [the private company working with the family] to maximise the chance of locating the aircraft wreckage.
“The AAIB commissioned specialist vessel Geo Ocean III, and Blue Water Recoveries Ltd commissioned FPV Morven and the search area was divided between the vessels. Both vessels began their search on the morning of Sunday 3 February.
“Early in the search, the Morven identified an object of interest on the seabed using its side-scan sonar equipment. It cleared the immediate area for the Geo Ocean III to use its underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to survey the area of the seabed in which the object was located. Based on analysis of ROV video footage, the AAIB investigators onboard the vessel concluded that the object is wreckage from the missing Piper Malibu aircraft, registration N264DB.
“The ROV carried out a further search of the area overnight but did not identify any additional pieces of wreckage.
“Tragically, in video footage from the ROV, one occupant is visible amidst the wreckage. The AAIB is now considering the next steps, in consultation with the families of the pilot and passenger, and the police.
“The image shows the rear left side of the fuselage including part of the aircraft registration. We intend to publish an interim report within one month of the accident occurring.”
Ross Taylor of A-2-Sea Solutions, which provided the FPV Morven, said the crew (on Emiliano Sala search) found the missing plane on its third line of the search area.
He said: “In terms of the Emiliano Sala search, you have set lines of the seabed and they are set up at a distance depending on the resolution you want to achieve.”
He compared the Emiliano Sala search process to mowing a lawn, and said the wreck was found using a combination of sonar equipment, including one device towed about five metres from the seabed
He said the body was discovered using an ROV belonging to the vessel commissioned by the AAIB, Geo Ocean III. The body was picked up on the vehicle’s underwater cameras.
Taylor was unable to comment on where in the plane the body was located during the Sala Search. When asked if it was possible to recover the body without raising the wreck, Taylor said: “ROVs are sometimes able to grab on to items but whether that would happen I don’t know. Divers can also get down to that depth but it’s a much bigger operation.
“In 25 metres to 30 metres of water it would be a lot easier but in 70 metres it would be a much bigger operation.”
Emilino Sala’s family are still optimistic that he could still be alive, and this latest news could spoil all that, as though investigators are not sure whose body it is, their statement saying they will inform the family could mean something else. But we are waiting as operation is set to begin on the evacuation of the plane from underwater.