As part of a private search organised by shipwreck expert David Mearns, who was recruited by the Sala family to try and find the missing plane, the survey vessel MORVEN docked in St. Peter Port at around 07:00 this morning.
The private search for the aircraft is due to commence on Sunday, having been funded by a high-profile GoFundMe campaign that raised more than £300,000 to find the missing men.
Meanwhile, the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has confirmed what it is doing in the aftermath of last week’s plane incident, after it emerged that the two cushions which washed up on the French coast on Monday most likely came from the missing light aircraft.
The survey vessel MORVEN, operated by A-2-Sea, we hired to conduct the underwater search for the plane carrying Emiliano Sala and piloted by David Ibbotson has departed Southampton and will arrive Guernsey early AM tomorrow. #EmilianoSala#NoDejenDeBuscarpic.twitter.com/zGGsCCdDeI
— David Mearns (@davidlmearns) 30 January 2019
The AAIB say that its intention was always to conduct a seabed search but it was dependant on finding a suitable vessel. A spokesperson for the branch told Express that “the end of the surface search and rescue operation was a decision made by local authorities.
“AAIB has been considering the feasibility of a seabed search for aircraft wreckage over the last week. We were able to announce our intention once we had secured a suitable vessel. In any case, due to the weather forecast, this coming weekend is the earliest advisable time to begin the search,” they continued.
This news follows the discovery of two cushions now believed to be from the missing aircraft on the West coast of France on Monday.
Pictured: Two cushions, now believed to be from the missing plane, washed up on the West coast of France and were discovered by two women over the weekend (left – Josette Bernard/right – Camille Leblond).
The AAIB has now said these cushions are believed to come from the missing Piper Malibu. It also confirmed it began an investigation into the plane’s disappearance on Tuesday 22 January, just hours after the light aircraft lost contact with Air Traffic Control in Jersey.
A search was immediately launched to try and find the plane and the two men but it was called off two days later, when the Guernsey Harbourmaster announced it would officially cease the search effort around Alderney waters.
Now, Mr Mearns intends to conduct his own underwater search on Sunday which is expected to proceed alongside the AAIB investigation.
The AAIB confirmed that they would be “liaising closely” with the private search “to maximise the chance of locating any wreckage and ensure a safe search operation.”