Update: Coast Guard continuing search for missing pilot, aircraft

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/04/2018 04:26 PM EST

united states coast guard

News Release Jan. 4, 2018 

U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland
Contact: 8th District Public Affairs
Office: (504) 671-2020
After Hours: (618) 225-9008
Eighth District online newsroom

Update: Coast Guard continuing search for missing pilot, aircraft  

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard is continuing to search for a missing Cirrus aircraft in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 118 nautical miles north of the Yucatan Peninsula Thursday.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center in New Orleans received a report from the North American Aerospace Defense Command Wednesday evening that one person aboard a privately-owned Cirrus, with the tail number N325JK, was unresponsive.

The pilot has been identified as Bill Kinsinger, 55, from Oklahoma City.

No signs of the plane have been located, and Coast Guard air crews are scheduled to continue searching through the night.

District Eight watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew, a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules aircrew and a Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew to search for the aircraft.

The motor vessel Gas Wisdom responded to a Coast Guard request for vessels in the area to assist and searched Wednesday evening.

Questions about NORAD's response should be directed to the NORAD public affairs main line at 719-554-6889 or after-hours line at 719-304-6097.

The original news release is available here: https://goo.gl/gpeH3C

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-USCG-