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The pilot flying the missing light aircraft carrying Argentine striker Emiliano Sala has been identified as a dad-of-three from England, ahead of searches resuming this morning around the north coast of Jersey and the smaller islands.
Dave Ibbotson (60) was reportedly booked to take footballer Emiliano Sala from Nantes to Cardiff, following the signing of a multi million-pound Premier League contract.
At 07:50 this morning, Guernsey Police said that searches, which have so far been unfruitful, will be continuing around the north coast of Jersey this morning.
It will also involve careful investigation using the Channel Islands Air Search plane of Burhou, the Casquets, Alderney, the north coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula, and Sark.
24th January
— Guernsey Police (@GuernseyPolice) January 24, 2019
7.50am update.
We are commencing a coastal search using be Channel Islands Air Search plane of Burhou, the Casquets, Alderney, the north coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula, north coast of Jersey and then back over Sark.
Further information released when available
The latest update comes after Guernsey's Harbour Master named Mr Ibbotson - known as 'Dibbo' to friends - as the pilot. He said that the delay in naming the pilot had been because authorities needed to first inform his family.
Mr Ibbotson lived near Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, and was described as an "experienced private pilot".
He is believed to have been flying the Piper PA-46 Malibu from France to the Welsh capital. It had left Nantes on Monday evening, and last made contact with Air Traffic Control in Jersey at around 20:30.
Pictured: Dave Ibbotson, believed to be Emiliano Sala's pilot, poses for a photo in a plane with a parachutist. (Dave Ibbotson/Facebook)
A screenshot from Mr Ibbotson's Facebook profile published online shows that the pilot, who also works as a gas engineer, checked into Nantes Airport. In a comment, he joked that he was "a bit rusty with the ILS [Internal Landing System]".
Grimsby Telegraph reported that they approached Mr Ibbotson's family home yesterday in Crowle, and were greeted by a "visibly upset" woman who said: "We do not wish to give a comment. Guernsey's Harbour Master finally confirmed Mr Ibbotson's identity today at 16:55.
The single piston plane is thought to have gone down near Les Casquets, but a search has so far found nothing linked with the aircraft or either of the men on board.
Video: Guernsey's Harbour Master provided an update to Express yesterday.
At lunchtime yesterday a statement issued by Guernsey Police said 280sq miles of a targeted search area had been checked over the previous five hours. Previously the Harbour Master, Captain David Barker had said that 1,155sq miles had already been checked.
Captain Barker said: "There is as yet no trace today of the missing aircraft. The search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today."
Speaking earlier in the morning the Harbour Master had confirmed there were three planes, and one helicopter in the air, looking for the two men and the plane. Mobile phone data and satellite imagery was also reviewed.
The search continues to be based on four possibilities, outlined earlier today:
Captain Barker said the search area was prioritised on the life raft option.
Shortly after that, some debris was found at Bouley Bay in Jersey but it turned out to be a fishing crate and is not believed to be linked with the search for the missing Piper Malibu, Mr Ibbotson or Mr Sala. It has now been confirmed, however, that the maritime authorities are treating the search as a recovery operation, rather than a rescue, with chances of finding the pair alive said to be "slim".
Pictured: The RNLI were investigating debris just off Bouley Bay in search of the missing plane, but it turned out to be a fishing crate.
The search for the single piston plane has attracted global attention.
Sala was on his way from Nantes to Cardiff, with reports saying he was only in the Welsh city on Friday, returning this weekend to pick up his personal effects.
They also claimed that he had turned down a highly-paid job offer to go to a Chinese club at the "11th hour".
The Argentinian striker had apparently rejected an offer of double the £15million transfer fee from FC Nantes to Cardiff FC just three days ago.
Pictured: Sala was excited about his move to Cardiff FC, posting on Twitter about it.
"His Premier League dream was stronger than the mind-blowing bid from China," said French site Le 10 Sport.
Commenters have pointed out how tragic the chain of events seems to have become.
In Argentina, Sala’s father Horacio told channel C5N: “I didn’t know anything because I’m away from home. A friend who saw it on TV told me. I’m in despair.”
Julio Muller, the mayor of Progreso, the small town in the farming province of Santa Fe where Sala grew up, told Clarin online: “The town is in shock. The only thing we were talking about was his transfer.”
Pictured: Yellow flowers have been laid at Nantes in tribute to the Cardiff player. (Jonathan Noiraut Roy)
Sala spent four years at FC Nantes - the longest stretch at one club of his career. He was the third highest scoring player in the French top division last season.
Both clubs have now issued statements in relation to the incident: Cardiff City were said to be "very distressed" by the news. They denied having booked Sala's flight, with Cardiff City Chairman Mehmet Dalman stating that the club had offered to make arrangements, but that Sala declined. Had they done so, the Chairman said that the flight "quite frankly, would have been commercial".
"I can't tell you who arranged the flight because I don't know at this stage - but it certainly wasn't Cardiff City," he said.
Nantes asked their followers to 'Pray for Sala' and organised a vigil at Place Royale in Nantes where they would drop a yellow tulip into the fountain, yellow being the club's colour.
El estremecedor audio de Emiliano Sala desde arriba de la avioneta desaparecida. pic.twitter.com/msfQFUJ2Bl
— Clarín (@clarincom) January 22, 2019
Listen: Sala's WhatsApp audio clip, in which he describes the plane as "falling apart".
Vigils were held overnight on Tuesday to Wednesday and tributes paid on social media to the player.
Tuesday evening also saw the emergence of an apparent WhatsApp audio clip sent by the footballer to his friends in which he describes the plane as "falling apart".
Guernsey Police and Maritime authorities will today consider whether to suspend their search efforts, and the next steps.
10.50am update
— Guernsey Police (@GuernseyPolice) January 24, 2019
The search is ongoing and a decision about continuing will be made once all assets have completed this morning’s search pattern.
Information will be released once available
Follow Express for updates...
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