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Rhys Chamberlain / Things
A small plane has disappeared and is believed to be near the Old Man Range, near Alexandra.
A search is underway to find a plane with a missing person on board in downtown Otago.
The male pilot was understood to be on a flight between Bannockburn and Gore at the time an emergency beacon was activated, a spokesman for the Rescue Coordination Center of New Zealand (RCCNZ) said.
The search and rescue operation began after the RCCNZ received an emergency beacon alert at around 5.30pm.
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A Police LandSAR team, using ATVs and motorcycles, heads to the source of the beacon, an area between the Old Man Range and Garvie Range, between Alexandra and Kingston.
They are expected to arrive in the area around 10:30 p.m.
Previously, a helicopter crew spent several hours searching for the plane.
They confirmed the location of the beacon at three to four kilometers, before being forced to return to base in Queenstown, due to weather conditions.
The Civil Aviation Authority and the man’s family had been notified.
“No further information is known about the status of the pilot or the aircraft at this stage, although rescuers are doing everything possible to get to it as quickly as possible, subject to terrain and conditions.” the spokesman said.
