LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Authorities in the Bahamas suspended a search late Tuesday for a Louisville pilot whose plane was last seen taking off from Florida.
Chris Moore, a longtime pilot, took off from Florida on Sunday. He was flying by himself on a path he flew many times.
On Wednesday morning, Coast Guard officials told WHAS11 News the search for the man was called off.
He took off from the Sebastian Municipal Airport at 9 a.m. for a three-hour flight to Marsh Harbor in the Bahamas.
He has not been heard from since.
According to the Coast Guard, they received a report of the missing aircraft early Sunday morning. Aircrews were deployed from the Coast Guard Air Station Miami and Air Station Clearwater which conducted a search of approximately 1,760 square miles with "negative results."
Sunday evening, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) took control of the investigation. An Air Station Miami aircrew conducted a first light search on Monday, again with negative results. The RBDF did not request further assistance from the Coast Guard.
At about 11 p.m. Monday, the RBDF informed Coast Guard District 7 watchstanders they had suspended the search.
Chris' wife Stacye is in the Bahamas leading the search for her husband. She said she knew something was wrong when he didn't text her that he landed.
"When I did not receive a silly cute text, I became concerned," she told WHAS11 News.
The ABC station in West Palm Beach, WPBF, reported the Federal Aviation Administration sent out an alert for a single-engine BRM Aero Bristell that was reported missing from the airport.
Stacye learned "the plane stopped sending its identifying signal as Chris was making the crossing."
She said they've since talked to three pilots who were landing in Marsh Harbor about the same time, communicating on headsets.
"We discovered on our own investigation that three pilots report him saying that he was five miles out on approach," Stacye said.
Chris, 59 years old and a retired engineer, and Stacye live near Glenview on River Road. She said he's been flying for nine years.
She said they need cell tower information from the Bahamian Government, but are bumping up against government regulations and privacy issues.
Stacye said she hired a rescue helicopter and multiple search planes and made a strange discovery while searching for Chris.
"I went up myself and searched yesterday and I will be going back out again tomorrow to search. We have no sign of wreckage, and interestingly, we can see three other plane crashes very clearly," she said.
"Chris is one of those people, once he makes a connection with you, you are friends for life," Stacye said.
