A German businessman who ran one of Cologne’s oldest carnival societies has been named as the pilot of the ‘ghost plane’ which crashed into the Baltic Sea yesterday.
Karl-Peter Griesemann, 72, the head of private air ambulance enterprise Brief Air, was flying from Jerez in Spain to Cologne when he diverted in to the Baltic Sea and spiralled into the drinking water in close proximity to Latvia, according to Bild.
His spouse, Juliane, daughter Lisa, 26, who is a experienced pilot, and her boyfriend Paul were being also on board the Austria-registered Cessna 551.
Aviation industry experts said the drop in tension could have triggered the pilot and passengers to all go out.
NATO jets scrambled to intercept the airplane which stopped responding to controllers’ calls immediately after difficulties were being described in the cabin.
Karl-Peter Griesemann, 72, pictured with his spouse Juliane, has been named as the pilot of the airplane which crashed in the vicinity of Latvia yesterday
The plane turned 2 times, at Paris and Cologne, before heading straight out around the Baltic, passing in the vicinity of the Swedish island of Gotland
The Swedish rescue support said they experienced reported that no one particular was noticeable in the Cessna’s cockpit. Pictured, the plane’s flight route before crashing in the Baltic Sea
German and Danish warplanes were being sent up to observe the aircraft as it flew blind over northern Europe on Sunday afternoon but have been unable to location any one on board, probably mainly because they had passed out.
The spouse and children was in southern Spain the place they own a lavish holiday getaway household and they had been returning to their primary house in Cologne.
Mr Griesmann was also head of the Griesmann Team, based in Cologne and specialising in development initiatives and substantial industrial crops, and was president of the once-a-year Cologne carnival, a single of the most significant in Germany.
‘I can affirm that it was the non-public jet of our proprietor, Karl-Peter Griesemann,’ reported a spokesperson for Rapid Air.
The spouse and children was in southern Spain in which they individual a lavish holiday home and they have been returning to their major house in Cologne
The Austrian-registered Cessna 551 aircraft was traveling from Jerez in southern Spain. File graphic
Plane from various international locations and a passenger ferry headed to the crash web page on Sunday night to assist in the rescue operation.
A wreck, a concentrated squander patch and an oil-like slick experienced been spotted close to the crash web-site, Latvian lookup and rescue head Peteris Subbota advised Latvian tv, incorporating that no passengers experienced been found.
The jet ‘was traveling concerning Spain and Cologne but when it altered program, air website traffic controllers were not ready to make contact’, the Latvian civil aviation company stated in a statement.
Following having off from Jerez in southern Spain just prior to 3pm, the aircraft turned 2 times, at Paris and Cologne, before heading straight out over the Baltic, passing around the Swedish island of Gotland.
Mr Griesmann was president of the annual Cologne carnival, a single of the most significant in Germany
Just soon after 7.30pm, it was detailed on the flight tracker as fast getting rid of velocity and altitude.
‘We’ve uncovered that the plane has crashed (in the ocean) north-west of the town of Ventspils in Latvia,’ a spokesperson for Sweden’s rescue provider stated.
‘It has disappeared from the radar.’
Authorities stated that the aircraft ‘ran out of fuel’, resulting in it crashing into the Baltic Sea.
The Swedish Maritime Administration despatched rescue boats, planes and a helicopter to the crash internet site, with the country’s coastline guards confirming that the wreckage has been uncovered.
NATO fighter aircraft took off from Estonia to adhere to the aircraft, a Lithuanian airforce spokesperson explained. File impression of a US fighter jet
Mr Antonsson reported that he probability of obtaining survivors from the crash is ‘minimal’.
Latvian and Swedish rescue and coastline guard vessels ended up patrolling the crash web page and a close by passenger ferry was alerted to aid in the efforts.
A Lithuanian air force helicopter was also dispatched for search and rescue at neighbouring Latvia’s request, a Lithuanian air power spokesperson explained.
They extra that the fighter aircraft were being from the NATO Baltic Air Police mission in Amari airfield in Estonia.
The mission in the airbase presently consists of 4 Eurofighter jets of the German Air Force, according to NATO. The spokesperson did not say how numerous jets there were being or remark even more.
