By Mikaela Skea
RESCUERS say they are puzzled by an aircraft crash that was reported by two separate witnesses but left no wreckage.
The “accident” involved a microlight or small aircraft that was reported to have plunged into the North Sea off the coast of Montrose, Angus.
Despite an extensive search of the area, no trace of the aircraft has been found and no pilots have been reported missing.
Lifeboat crews and the Montrose Coastguard were alerted at 3.40pm yesterday by two separate emergency calls from members of the public at Usan.
After more than two hours spent searching for wreckage, the hunt was suspended shortly before six.
Tayside Police currently do not have reports of missing persons in the area, or any indication as to where the alleged aircraft – which is believed to be privately owned – was based.
Police are appealing for any witnesses who were in the area yesterday afternoon and may have seen the mystery vessel.
A spokesman at Forth Coastguard said: “We had a call to a similar incident off the coast of Fife Ness last year, where it was reported a Microlight had gone into the sea.
“In areas like these, where lots of people walk or play golf just above the beaches, the geography is such that an aircraft can drop out of sight of someone standing on the shore, but not enter the water.
He added: “It’s unusual for two people to see something that didn’t happen, let’s put it that way.”
