Mayday Panic: Aircraft Vanishes Off Norfolk Coast
A dramatic rescue operation is underway after a plane sent a mayday call and vanished off Hemsby Gap, Norfolk. The distress signal came in at 12:34pm today (Sunday), triggering an urgent search across sea and sky.
Lifeboats and Helicopter Launch Massive Search
Humber Coastguard revealed the aircraft was visible on radar above the North Sea but suddenly disappeared between two and three nautical miles offshore. Four lifeboats from Hemsby are scouring the waters in a “boxed search,” backed by a rescue helicopter. The hunt is set to continue for some time.
“We are still doing a search of the area, a boxed search. The last known location is two to three nautical miles offshore at Hemsby Gap,” said a spokeswoman for Hemsby Lifeboat Station.
Norfolk Police and ambulance crews arrived just before 4pm but details remain scarce. It’s unclear how many people were on board or what type of plane was involved.
Residents Warned to Keep Clear
Beach visitors and locals have been urged to stay away from the shoreline near Hemsby Gap to give emergency teams free rein. So far, no wreckage or casualties have been confirmed. Authorities have not ruled out a crash and stress the mission is still search and rescue.
Plane Disappears from FlightRadar24
The online tracking site FlightRadar24 confirmed the aircraft was visible briefly over the North Sea before it suddenly vanished from radar after sending the distress call. Aviation officials are now checking flight logs and gathering info from nearby pilots who might have witnessed the ordeal.
Anyone with information or who saw anything suspicious along the Norfolk coast today is urged to call Norfolk Police on 101 immediately.
