Hopes of finding Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson are fading after Guernsey Police called an end to the second day of searches in the English Channel.
“Multiple aircrafts” scoured over 280 square miles during a nine-hour search on Wednesday, but “no trace” of the plane that went missing near Alderney on Monday evening has been found.
Rescue chiefs had initially held hopes that the pair had boarded the plane’s life raft, but the status of the operation has since changed from a rescue to a recovery mission, and a decision will be taken on Thursday morning as to whether the operation is continued.
At 5pm on Wednesday, Guernsey Police said: “After an intensive search using multiple aircraft and one lifeboat over the last nine hours, we have found no trace of the missing plane. With the light now fading, the search will shortly be suspended for the night.
“A decision about whether to recommence will be taken early tomorrow morning.”
The chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, John Fitzgerald, said there is “no hope” of finding Sala and Ibbotson, and that “even the most fit person” could only survive a few hours in the water.
The plane carrying Sala was organised by football agent Mark McKay, who was involved in the player’s £15m transfer from Nantes to Cardiff City.
McKay has now released a statement, confirming he made the travel arrangements, but denied reports that he is the owner of the plane.
“I have chosen to wait a few days before making a statement so that the focus remained on the efforts of the search and rescue teams looking for Emiliano Sala and the pilot of the missing plane,” McKay said.
“Along with everyone in the world of football, I want to express my sadness and that of my family with regards to the tragic events that have unfolded since Monday evening.”
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch have confirmed that the Piper PA-46 Malibu light aircraft is unlikely to have contained a black box, which will “limit the scope of the investigation”.
Before boarding the flight, a voice recording published by Argentine Media outlet Ole appears to detail Sala talking about the condition of the plane.
“I am really tired now,” Sala says in the recording. “I was over in Nantes sorting things out, doing this, doing that. I am now aboard a plane that seems like it is falling to pieces. I’m going to Cardiff now, crazy, and tomorrow we get going. I will train with my new team tomorrow.”
He added: “If you do not have any more news from in an hour and a half, I don’t know if they need to send someone to find me. I am getting scared!”
Sala’s former girlfriend, Berenice Schkair, took to social media to plead with authorities to continue their search, writing: “I want to wake up and all of this to be a lie. Please investigate because I cannot believe this accident. Don’t suspend the search for bad weather when you only just found objects floating. I need to read that you have shown up.”
She added: “Emi, my heart is broken. I still cannot understand it. I’m destroyed, I feel pain, fear, anger and impotence for not being able to do anything. I know you’re strong. We are waiting for you.”
Cardiff have announced that their upcoming fixture against Arsenal will go ahead as planned.
