Body recovered in search for missing light aircraft

Rescuers searching for a light aircraft that disappeared over the Irish Sea yesterday afternoon have recovered a body off the Welsh coast.

The British Coastguard said some wreckage was also recovered close to the body around 10 miles north of Strumbles Head, on the Pembrokeshire coast.

The single-engine Piper Cherokee was en route from Dublin to Cardiff with two people on board when it disappeared from radar screens at around 1.30pm.

It had taken off from Weston Aerodrome with enough fuel to last four hours, but weather conditions were poor, with heavy rain, thunder and fog reported over the Irish Sea.

The RNLI from both sides of the water were involved in the search for the aircraft, along with the Irish and British Coastguards and the RAF.