Coast Guard continues search for missing airplane near Maui

 
HONOLULU — The Coast Guard continues to search Sunday afternoon for a privately owned Cessna 172S airplane that disappeared from radar while travelling from Maui to Molokai, Saturday night.

A debris field that appears to be from an aircraft has been located in the area, approximately two miles north of Maui, but confirmation that it is the missing Cessna has not been made. Included among the debris is a wheel that could match the aircraft.

The Cessna pilot, Jose Krall, is believed to have been alone in the aircraft.

Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a report at 7 p.m. Saturday, that the airplane disappeared from radar approximately 2.5 miles north of Maui’s North Shore.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Ahi, from Honolulu, and response boat crews from Coast Guard Station Maui are searching the area. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew searched Saturday night using an infrared sensor.

Maui Fire Department and Maui Police Department have conducted land searches without locating any signs of aircraft debris. The public is asked to report any aircraft debris to the Maui Police Department.

The Cessna 172S is a four-seat, single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft.