Coast Guard Confirms Debris Matches Missing Plane Near Bahamas

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Airplane debris found floating in the water about 15 miles east of Eleuthera, Bahamas is from the same type of plane that vanished on Monday with four people on board.

The Coast Guard began their search for the MU-2B aircraft on Monday after Miami Air Traffic Control lost radar and radio contact from the pilot around 2:10 p.m. Communication was lost with the aircraft traveling at 24,000 feet at a speed of 300 knots about 37 miles east of Eleuthera.

On Tuesday, they reported they had spotted some debris.

"It's confirmed to be from the type of aircraft that is overdue but we haven't been able to tie it definitively to that plane, but it is believed to be from that plane," said Petty Officer Eric Woodall.

Woodall told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that the items included a piece of a seat and a removable tag which is more commonly known as an engine intake exhaust plug.

Onboard the plane at the time it disappeared were Jennifer Blumin, 40, her two sons, ages 3 and 4, and the boyfriend, Nathan Ulrich, 52, who was the pilot.

Blumin is a well-known CEO for the company Skylight Group, which specializes in finding event space around the greater New York City area.

Ulrich, who flew for the Coast Guard Auxiliary for nine years, is an engineer and designer of high performance race cars. He is from Lee, New Hampshire.

The Coast Guard said the plane took off from Borinquen, Puerto Rico around 11 a.m. and was headed to Titusville.

It's not known what happened to the plane.

Monday's and Tuesday's search off the Bahamas involved a Coast Guard helicopter, a cutter, and three planes. Customs and Border Patrol and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force also assisted in the search.

Woodall said the search was aided by the good weather.

"Conditions are favorable ," he said. "There have been good conditions for the search since Monday. And we have had mild seas."

On Wednesday, the search force was scaled back to a C-130 plane and a cutter.

The search has covered more than 8,200 miles over a 30 hour period.

In:
• Bahamas