A missing German aircraft that was discovered wrecked off the coast of Scotland has been confirmed to be the lost plane. The debris of the aircraft, a German registered Cessna 172, was found in the North Sea near Lerwick in Shetland and brought ashore on Sunday. Upon inspection, human remains were found on board, confirming the tragic fate of the plane that went missing in September 2023.
The aircraft’s disappearance was first reported to HM Coastguard by the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) of Germany after it lost contact between Shetland and Norway. The plane went missing on September 30, 2023, with only one person on board after taking off from Germany. The wreckage of the aircraft was spotted by a fishing vessel from Peterhead, which trawled a part of the aircraft’s undercarriage on Friday.
An investigation is currently ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the wreck and the human remains. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is working with the BFU and Police Scotland to assist in the safety investigation. The AAIB confirmed that the remains of the missing German Cessna 172 had been retrieved by a fishing vessel on December 6 and brought ashore in Shetland on Sunday.
Police Scotland received a report of the aircraft being recovered from the water in the North Sea, northeast of Lerwick, on December 6. The aircraft was then brought ashore on December 8, where human remains were discovered. Investigations into the incident are ongoing to shed light on what led to the tragic fate of the missing plane.
This discovery brings closure to the mystery of the missing German aircraft and provides answers to the family and friends of the person aboard the Cessna 172. The authorities continue to work diligently to uncover the full story behind the plane’s disappearance and recovery off the coast of Shetland.