Coast Guard searching for missing plane off South Carolina coast

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a downed twin-engine aircraft reported missing about 100 miles off the coast of South Carolina. File Photo by muratart/Shutterstock

By Daniel Uria, UPI

U.S. Coast Guard crews are searching for a downed civilian aircraft off the coast of South Carolina, the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday.

The Piper PA-31 was reported missing about 110 miles off the coast of Charleston at about 11:33 a.m., the Coast Guard said.

The plane was traveling from South Carolina to the Bahamas the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center received a report from the aircraft of an in-flight emergency.

Air traffic control later lost contact with the plane on radar and notified the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

The Coast Guard said the Cutter Hamilton crew will continue to search for the aircraft throughout the night, while air assets will conduct a first light search Friday morning.