A plane wreck discovered off a Scots coast with human remains inside has been confirmed as a missing German aircraft.
The aircraft debris was found in the North Sea, near Lerwick in Shetland, on December 6 and brought to shore on Sunday where human remains were discovered on board. It has been confirmed the plane – a German registered Cessna 172 – was reported missing in September last year.
The loss of the aircraft was initially reported to HM Coastguard by the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) of Germany after the aeroplane went missing between Shetland and Norway. The craft lost contact over the North Sea on September 30, 2023 after taking off from Germany with one person onboard.
A fishing boat from Peterhead reportedly trawled in a section of the aircraft’s undercarriage on Friday. A probe to establish the full circumstances of the grim discovery remains ongoing.
Footage circulated social media at the weekend showing the wreckage being pulled from the water with police on standby. A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) 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 on Sunday.
“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.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland told Shetland News: “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. The aircraft was brought to shore on Sunday 8 December, and human remains were found within. Inquiries are ongoing.”
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