US Navy searching for missing plane and airmen

The US Navy is searching for a twin-engine jet and four airmen who went missing when their training flight vanished en route from Tennessee 20 minutes after takeoff.

A Navy instructor, a Navy student, an Air Force student and a civilian contract pilot were aboard the missing Navy T-39 Sabreliner, said Lt. Sean Robertson, Navy South Region public affairs officer.

The Sabreliner took off at about 11am (4pm Irish time) yesterday from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The last radio contact came at 11.20am when the pilot contacted the national centre, Robertson said. It was scheduled to arrive at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida at about 3pm.

“All we know is the aircraft made contact, and we haven’t heard anything since,” he said.

Navy officials declined to disclose the aircraft’s route, whether it carried distress or locator beacons and where authorities were searching. The identities of the airmen have not been released.

Sabreliner jets are used for training navigators and other non-pilot air crew officers for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and foreign military services.