Northern Ireland

Rescuers searching for missing microlight aircraft find wreckage

A microlight has gone missing between City of Derry Airport and Scotland
A microlight has gone missing between City of Derry Airport and Scotland

Rescuers searching for a missing microlight are reported to have found wreckage off the Co Antrim coast.

The debris - believed to have been discovered close to Glenarm - follows a major air, land and sea operation.

But there has been no confirmation from officials that the wreckage belongs to the missing aircraft.

The flight carrying two people, took off from City of Derry airport and had been tracking towards Stranraer in Scotland.

Mountain rescue teams, who were scouring heavily forested areas around the Glens of Antrim, are understood to have been stood down following reports that wreckage had been found.

Joe Dowdal from the Northern Ireland North West Mountain Rescue Team said: "The search is still going on but the land operation has been called off at this stage."

Sean McCarry from the Community Rescue Service said up to 35 volunteers who spent the night searching the hills and woodland using specialist thermal imaging technology were also awaiting confirmation before leaving the area.

A fixed wing aircraft and the Irish Coastguard search and rescue helicopter have also been assisting.

Coastguard teams have been carrying out a shore search while five RNLI lifeboats from from Larne and Red Bay in Northern Ireland and Portpatrick in Scotland have been out looking in the North Channel.

The search was launched on Thursday evening after the microlight was reported overdue.

It continued until 4am but had to be suspended due to fog. Rescuers resumed their work again on Friday morning when visibility improved.