International
Coast Guard continues searching for survivors from missing airplane 15 miles east of Eleuthera, Bahamas
By US Coast Guard
May 17, 2017 - 8:35:19 PM

MIAMI – The Coast Guard continues to search for survivorsWednesday15 miles east of Eleuthera, Bahamas, from an airplane that was reported missing Monday.

Missing are Jennifer Blumin, 40, from New York City,Nathan Ulrich, 52, from Lee, New Hampshire, and Blumin's 3-year-old and 4-year-old sons.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew located a fuel sheen and adebris field 15 miles east of Eleuthera, Bahamas. The helicopter crew was able to lowera rescue swimmer and retrieve some of thedebris to transfer ashore for identification. Some airplane components recovered from the debris were confirmed to be from an MU-2B airplane.

Watch standers with the Coast Guard Seventh District Command Centerreceived a report from Miami Air Traffic Control at 2:10 p.m. Monday of lost radar and radio contact from of a MU-2B airplaneapproximately 37 miles east of Eleuthera. Communication was reported to be lost at 24,000 feet with a speed of 300 knots.

The airplane departed Borinquen, Puerto Rico, at approximately 11 a.m. Monday en route to Titusville, Florida.

Rescue crews have searched for over 30 hours coveringmore than 8,200 square miles.

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater C-130 Hercules airplane crews;Air StationMiami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews; anAir Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina,C-130 Hercules airplane crew; andAir Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews assisted in the search. The Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber crewand an Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane creware on scene searching for survivors.

Customs and Border Patrol, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and the Air Forcehave also assisted in the search.

A National Transportation Safety Board accident investigator has been assigned to this case.

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