00:00Launching into the waters in search of a missing local couple and their plane.
00:07The pilot, a male in his 70s and a female passenger aged in her 60s.
00:12The plane departed from Georgetown Airport at 12.45 on Saturday afternoon.
00:17It was due to stop at Leangatha in Victoria, then continue on to Hilston Airport in central western New South Wales.
00:24But the plane never finished the first leg.
00:27Police say the two-seater, bright green plane made no distress calls.
00:31The search was triggered when concerned family members at their destination
00:35raised the alarm just after 5pm.
00:38The pilot was experienced and heavily involved in the Georgetown Aero Club, but in a newer plane.
00:44The information I've been provided is the current owner and pilot of the plane
00:48had only purchased the plane three to four months ago.
00:51The search has focused on Bass Strait, with a helicopter in the air around Georgetown.
00:56working on their coastline and land near Leangatha.
00:59We're asking anyone who's on the coastline in northern Tasmania
01:03or traversing across Bass Strait to keep a lookout for any debris
01:07or it could be something as simple as a life jacket, some airplane parts,
01:12to contact AMSA or Tasmania Police.
01:15The Marine Authority will reassess the situation tonight
01:18and decide whether to continue the search overnight.
01:21Any body of water is difficult to search.
01:24The main thing is that this is still a search operation.
01:27We are hoping that we find these people alive.
01:30we are hoping that we will keep people alive.
01:31we will keep people alive.
01:32we will keep people alive.
01:33we will keep people alive.
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