CLEVELAND: A bag that washed ashore near a private harbor has been confirmed as coming from a small plane carrying six people that disappeared over Lake Erie near Cleveland, authorities said Monday as they resumed a search for the missing aircraft.
The city said there have been multiple reports of debris washing ashore east of Burke Lakefront Airport, where the plane carrying a family of four and their two neighbors departed late Thursday. John T. Fleming, chief executive of a Columbus-based beverage distribution company, was piloting. His wife, Sue, and their two teenage sons, Jack and Andrew, were also aboard.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison said Monday that freshman Megan Casey, 19, of Powell, and her father, Brian, were the other two people on the plane.
The university released a statement from the Casey family calling the father and daughter “loving, caring, remarkable individuals.”
“Our family greatly appreciates the dedicated efforts of the rescue and recovery teams, and we are especially thankful for the outpouring of support thoughts and prayers from family, friends and the community,” the statement reads.
Police confirmed that a bag recovered Sunday was from the aircraft. It was found near Shoreby Club Harbor in Bratenahl, a small lakeside community.
The other debris hadn’t been verified as coming from the Cessna 525 Citation.
The aircraft was headed to Ohio State University Airport, northwest of downtown Columbus. The plane lost altitude about 2 miles out, according to a flight-tracking service. Fleming’s father said the family and friends were returning from a Cleveland Cavaliers game.
The city of Cleveland said there were light winds and fairly calm waters Monday for seven vessels and four dive teams searching waters 35 to 45 feet deep. The search grid area is some 2.5 miles from east to west along the shoreline and 2 miles north to south into the lake.
A statement Monday from the city said it is in contact with the families of those aboard the aircraft, and it urged respect for their privacy as they deal with the “difficult situation.”
The city said caution tape along the shoreline is a precautionary measure that doesn’t mean items from the plane have been found in the area.
“The search and recovery process can take a long time,” the city said.
The U.S. Coast Guard and crews from Cleveland city agencies, the cities of Akron and Toledo, Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources, New York State Police and Underwater Marine Contractors are involved in the search by air, shore and water.