18 September 2007
The search for Steve Fossett, who <a href=’http://www.flyer.co.uk/news/newsfeed.php?artnum=642′ target=’_blank’>went missing two weeks ago</a>, has been scaled down, according to local police.
According to local police reported via a French press agency, the search has all but ‘ground to a halt’, with a handful of military helicopters flying and two aircraft on the ground on standby. These aircraft will now remain on the ground until any new lead comes along.
A Nevada state police spokesman told AFP that the Civil Air Patrol search had completed its coverage of an estimated 20,000 square miles, and although they’ve discovered up to seven previously unlocated crash sites there’s been no sight of Fossett or his Citabria Super Decathlon.
A number of private pilots have joined in the search (including a few ‘freelancers’ who caused temporarily restricted airspace to be instituted) and many more have taken part using satellite imagery via Google Earth.
