Human remains have been found in the wreckage of a Cessna light aircraft that went missing in the sea off Shetland more than a year ago.
The remains were found in the aircraft’s wreckage after a trawler from Peterhead hauled up a large section of fuselage while it was fishing to the north-east of Lerwick on Friday.
An investigation was launched by Police Scotland after the trawler Benarkle II arrived in port with the wreckage on Sunday, more than 14 months after the four-seater aircraft went missing.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, a government agency, confirmed the parts were from a Cessna that had gone off the radar suddenly between Shetland and Norway with only its 62-year-old pilot onboard.
“We were informed that the remains of a German registered Cessna 172, which was lost in the North Sea in September 2023, had been recovered by a fishing vessel on 6 December and brought to shore in Shetland,” a spokesperson said.
“The loss of the aircraft was initially investigated by the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) of Germany. The AAIB is supporting Police Scotland and working with the BFU to assist their safety investigation.”
The Cessna was reported missing by its owner on 1 October 2023 after it failed to return to Hamburg as arranged. Its position was last recorded by Norwegian air traffic control at 4.45pm on 30 September during a rapid descent.
The Aviation Safety Network reported that the pilot had not taken his planned route to Bayreuth, in Germany, and had not registered a flight plan. Instead he flew in the opposite direction over Denmark towards the North Sea, and failed to make radio contact with air traffic control.
The network reported that the pilot had unexpectedly told his wife she was no longer flying with him on the morning of the flight, and took off alone.
After it appeared the aircraft had ditched, an air sea rescue operation with a fixed-wing aircraft was launched by the UK’s coastguard after it was reported missing. No signs of the plane were found and the search was called off.
On Monday, a spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police received a report of a small aircraft having been recovered from the water in the North Sea, north-east of Lerwick, about 2.20pm on Friday 6 December.
“The aircraft was brought to shore on Sunday 8 December, and human remains were found within. Inquiries are ongoing.”
