Flight canceled after pilot disappears
Friday, April 20, 2007
Flight canceled after pilot disappears
Advertiser Staff
A U.S. Airways flight out of Kaua'i was canceled last night after one of the pilots disappeared while snorkeling
The snorkeler, a first officer on the 757 aircraft, was reported missing 5:45 p.m. yesterday. His name has not been released.
While on crew rest in Lihu'e, he went snorkeling and did not return to the crew hotel or report for his flight (US Airways flight 47) from Lihu'e to Phoenix, Ariz.
Kaua'i fire department and the U.S. Coast Guard are searching for the pilot.
"A replacement crew has been sent to Lihu'e and will operate an extra flight (US9037) for our customers affected by last night's cancellation," said Valerie Wunder, a U.S. Airways spokeswoman.
The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing to search for the missing snorkeler off Kaua'i's Napali Coast.
He was last seen around 4:30 p.m. yesterday.
He was scheduled to fly out last night at 10:40 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter is searching the area where the pilot disappeared and a C-130 search aircraft and crew is set to launch.
The man disappeared while snorkeling at Ke'e Beach, according to a county news release.
Responding patrol officers called the fire department and asked them to start a search and rescue mission.
The U.S. Coast Guard also was called to assist. The Guard sent a helicopter and conducted an aerial search last night.
At daybreak, the fire department began its search and rescue operation with lifeguards in a Zodiac, according to a county news release.
The Kaua'i Fire Department's Air-1 was also dispatched to the scene, along with a rescue specialist on a jet ski.
The U.S. Coast Guard resumed its search and rescue operation this morning.
