An air and sea search is under way after a plane disappeared from radar in the English Channel.
Rescue teams were scrambled to waters north of Alderney after the light aircraft vanished on Monday evening, Guernsey Police said.
The Piper Malibu, with two people on board, lost contact around eight miles north-west of Alderney at 8.30pm, the BBC reported.
“A search and rescue operation is currently under way off the north of Alderney after a light aircraft disappeared from radar several hours ago,” police said.
“Two helicopters alongside the Guernsey and Alderney lifeboats are searching for it.”
The Alderney lifeboat said it launched at 8.50pm on Monday night.
The plane is thought to have been travelling from Nantes in Brittany to Cardiff.
HM Coastguard said the incident was not in the UK search and rescue area, although it had sent two helicopters to help.
“HM Coastguard are currently assisting Guernsey Coastguard with a search for a light aircraft off Alderney in the Channel Islands,” a spokeswoman said.
“HM Coastguard helicopters from Solent and Newquay have been helping to search overnight with nothing found.”
The search and rescue operation had to deal with worsening conditions as they scoured the area on Monday night.
“At that time there were some showers around, but nothing too intense. Wind speeds were not too bad – average speeds were around 15 to 20mph,” Met Office meteorologist Mark Wilson said.
“But it has got pretty wet, we’ve seen a band of rain push down from the north-west. That rain set in around 11.30pm to midnight and it’s still raining now.
“It’s also a bit windier, with gusts around 35mph.”
