Wreckage spotted in plane search

Wreckage has been found by French teams searching for a light aircraft which went missing over the Channel en route from southern England to Jersey.

The French Coastguard, the Prefecture Maritime, said its search aircraft had spotted debris about thirteen nautical miles north of the port of Cherbourg.

The pilot has been named as Alex de Gruchy, from Jersey.

He is understood to have been the only person aboard the plane which went missing on Sunday afternoon.

Mr de Gruchy took off from Biggin Hill airfield in Kent destined for Jersey airport.

Air Traffic Controllers lost contact with him as he was flying over the English Channel.

A helicopter from RAF Chivenor in Devon joined rescue services from Guernsey, French maritime police and the French navy in the search for the 8m (26ft) long Cirrus SR22 single engine plane.

Four passenger ferries also helped in the operation, which was suspended overnight but resumed at first light this morning.