Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Plane Near San Clemente

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search of the ocean near San Clemente Island following yesterday's report of a downed plane with three people aboard. Officials say they searched 334 square miles and found no signs of any survivors.

The Coast Guard was notified shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday by the air traffic control tower on the island regarding the possible plane down, and a debris field was subsequently located, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Levi Read told City News Service.

``We have our Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward searching the area and they will be searching throughout the night and the early morning,'' Read told CNS later Wednesday night.

Searchers found the debris field in the ocean about a mile southwest of San Clemente Island, where authorities were sent on a report that an aircraft went down in the area with three civilians aboard.

According to the Coast Guard, a crew from Air Station San Diego launched aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter for the search and rescue operation. Read said the aircraft is a Phoenix Air Learjet owned by Fireside Partners in Delaware.

The search involved personnel from the Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Read said.

The area where the aircraft was reported down is within Los Angeles County, just southwest of Catalina Island.

-- City News Service