Emergency services including the RNLI and Coastguard scrambled to Hemsby Gap on Sunday following reports of a missing aircraft. However, after a four hour search, the hunt was called off
Mystery still surrounds an urgent alert that a plane was in trouble close to popular UK seaside town after no trace of any aircraft was found.
A distress signal was set off before the aircraft was declared missing near Hemsby Gap, Norfolk, on Sunday afternoon. The incident prompted a huge emergency response in a bid to trace what was thought to be a missing light plane.
One helicopter and four lifeboats were called to the Great Yarmouth area in the afternoon. All ships in the Hemsby Gap area off the Norfolk coast were urged to join search efforts. But after four hours, the hunt was called off, with authorities stating that there was no evidence of a missing aircraft.
READ MORE: Hemsby Gap plane RECAP: Major hunt launched as aircraft ‘vanishes’ after mayday call
The coastguard had earlier said that a small aircraft issued a distress call about two to three nautical miles off the coast shortly after 12.30pm. Despite this, it remains unclear what triggered the distress signal.
The RNLI responded to the mystery alert after they received a beacon activation from the suspected plane. They confirmed that the search came to an end shortly before 4pm.
A spokesperson for the RNLI told The Mirror: “RNLI Great Yarmouth and Gorleston all-weather lifeboat was paged at 1.10pm Sunday 22 June to search an area alongside independent lifeboats from Hemsby and Craister, and a fixed-wing aircraft from HM Coastguard. This was as a result of a beacon activation from what was thought to be a light aircraft. The search was stood down at 3.45pm.”
HM Coastguard added: “At round 12:30 yesterday afternoon (22 June) HM Coastguard was made aware of aircraft ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) alert off the coast off Hemsby, Great Yarmouth. Lifeboats from Hemsby, Caister and Gorleston were sent along with a coastguard fixed wing aircraft. After a thorough search and following further investigation with no evidence of a missing aircraft the search has been terminated.”