Human remains found as wreck of plane missing for a year discovered off UK coast

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Human remains have been found inside the wreckage of a plane that went missing off the coast of Scotland more than a year ago.

Police are investigating after a fishing boat discovered the small aircraft in waters north-east of Lerwick on Friday, according to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The remains of the German-registered Cessna 172 were brought to shore in Shetland on Sunday, the AAIB spokesperson said.

Police Scotland said the force is investigating after human remains were found within the four-seater craft when it was brought to shore.

The incident is also being investigated by the German Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU).

The plane had disappeared in the North Sea in September last year.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, the pilot had chartered the Cessna on 30 September 2023 to visit relatives in Bayreuth, with a plan to return the following day. When he did not, the owner reported the aircraft as missing on 1 October.

It is claimed that the pilot’s wife was supposed to be a passenger, but he told her that morning that she would no longer be flying with him. The Aviation Safety Network said the BFU “reported that it was not aware of the circumstances and motives”.

Tracking the craft’s flight path, the Aviation Safety Network’s report states: “According to radar records, shortly after takeoff, before crossing the Elbe River, the aircraft took a northwesterly course (approximately 300°). The stated destination, Bayreuth, is located 143 NM to the south-southeast.

“At around 12.05pm, the aircraft turned further north (approximately 330°) and entered Danish airspace about seven minutes later at an altitude of 6,200 feet AMSL. At 1.43pm, Norwegian air traffic control detected the aircraft on the same course in international airspace. From 2.47pm to 2.52pm, the aircraft climbed from 6,200 feet to 8,500 feet AMSL and continued flying in a north-northwest direction over the North Sea.

“Around 4.38pm, the aircraft began descending at an average rate of 1,000 feet per minute and initially deviated to the right from the northern course, followed by numerous small course changes. The last radar contact was recorded by Norwegian air traffic control at 4.45pm, approximately 70 NM southeast of the Shetland Islands (UK) and just over 500 NM from the departure airfield, at 1,700 feet AMSL (about six hours and 19 minutes after takeoff and eight minutes after the descent began).”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police received a report of a small aircraft having been recovered from the water in the North Sea, north-east of Lerwick, around 2.20pm on Friday, 6 December, 2024.

“The aircraft was brought to shore on Sunday, 8 December, and human remains were found within. Enquiries are ongoing.”

An AAIB spokesperson said: “We were informed that the remains of a German registered Cessna 172, which was lost in the North Sea in September 2023, had been recovered by a fishing vessel on December 6 and brought to shore in Shetland earlier today.

“The loss of the aircraft was initially investigated by the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) of Germany. The AAIB is supporting Police Scotland and working with the BFU to assist their safety investigation.”