Further report...
Cloud hampers plane search
By staff writers and wires
July 28, 2004
HEAVY, low cloud cover is hampering the search for a light plane with six passengers on board that vanished from radar screens in north-east Victoria this morning.
Authorities have "extreme concerns" for the six passengers on board the small twin-engine Piper Cheyenne after it failed to land at Benalla.
The plane’s last known position was 33km south-east of Wangaratta.
Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said the last radio contact with the plane, flying from Bankstown in Sydney to Benalla, was at 11am (AEST).
"The last radio contact was that the plane was preparing to land at Benalla," Mr Mitchell said on 2GB radio.
"The plane was flying in extremely poor weather and very low clouds.
"The pilot indicated he was going to land at Benalla and he failed to do that.
"There’s dense cloud down to 180m that’s preventing some (search-and-rescue) helicopters from operating."
He said four search-and-rescue helicopters from Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Bendigo and Melbourne had been called in to search the last known location.
Authorities are appealing for anyone in the Wangaratta, Benalla, Myrtleford region who may have seen or heard a white twin-engined plane flying low in the region to contact Australian Search and Rescue on 1-800-815257.
AAP
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10270750%255E2,00.html