Emiliano Sala: Police suspend search after finding ‘no trace’ of missing plane

Guernsey Police suspended the search for the missing plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson at 5pm on Wednesday.

"Multiple aircrafts" scoured the English Channel for nine hours on Tuesday, but found "no trace" of the missing aircraft.

A spokesperson for the 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, says 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.

A decision will be taken tomorrow morning as to whether to resume the search operation, which has now been classified as a recovery, rather than a rescue, mission.

Cardiff City are in "shock" but the game with Arsenal will go ahead as planned this weekend.

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