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Britons feared on missing plane Four British men on missing plane
(about 2 hours later)
Four British citizens could have been on board a small aircraft that has gone missing off the coast of Brazil, according to officials. Four British citizens were on board a small aircraft that went missing off the coast of Brazil on Friday.
The British consulate in Sao Paulo is investigating reports four British businessmen were on the plane, which vanished on Friday. British consulate officials in Sao Paulo confirmed to BBC News that the four passengers on board were British.
An eyewitness is reported to have seen the plane go down along the north-east coast after apparently losing power. The men, who are thought to be involved in the tourist industry, were being flown by two Brazilian pilots to Ilheus, on the north-east coast.
The airline Aero Star said four Britons and two pilots had been on board. An eyewitness claims to have seen the plane go down after apparently losing power and a search is now under way.
The plane had taken off from Salvador, capital of Bahia state, and the Brazilian pilots had last made contact with air-traffic controllers before dusk on Friday as the plane cruised over the Atlantic coast en route to the resort town of Ilheus, according to Aero Star. Relatives of three of the missing British men have now been contacted but efforts are still continuing to reach the family of the fourth, and their identities are not being revealed.
The plane had taken off from Salvador, capital of Bahia state, and the pilots had last made contact with air-traffic controllers before dusk on Friday as the plane cruised over the Atlantic coast en route to the resort town of Ilheus, according to the airline Aero Star.
Business manager Ellen Duarte added the weather had been good and the pilots had not reported any problems with the plane.Business manager Ellen Duarte added the weather had been good and the pilots had not reported any problems with the plane.
The airline, backed by air force helicopters and police, sent out teams to search for the missing aircraft. "It was flying perfectly," Ms Duarte said. "The pilot said he was making a visual approach to the airport, and that was the last we heard."
"A small plane has been reported missing and it is possible that there are British nationals on board," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. Brazil's coast guard and three Aero Star helicopters searched for signs of a crash, but found nothing, she said. Bahia state police and air rescue have joined the search.
She was unable to confirm reports that the plane was carrying four British businessmen.