Report of glider plane down 'unfounded' after frantic search in waters off LBI
LONG BEACH ISLAND, New Jersey (WABC) -- The Ocean County Sheriff's Office tells ABC News that reports of glider down in the waters off Long Beach Island were "unfounded," after the news sparked a frantic search for the plane and possible victims.
The incident was initially reported one mile off the coast around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy said officers were out on jet skis, and multiple agencies were actively searching the waters after a witness reported the plane go into the water.
The Coast Guard tweeted it was responding to the scene:
The New Jersey State Police were also assisting with the search effort.
By 12:45 p.m., officials said they had not located a plane or any victims.
The Coast Guard released a statement later Thursday afternoon that it had suspended its search.
"After careful consideration, we have suspended the search for the reported aircraft," said Lt. Cmdr. Ben Walsh, Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator for Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. "Swift action from our Coast Guard crews and local partners and extensive coverage of the search area allowed us to come to this decision, pending further developments."
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