The Tribune

Parts believed to be from the aircraft which vanished on its way from Exuma to Nassau on Sunday have been recovered by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

There have been no reports on the whereabouts of missing pilot Clayton Patterson Smith. At approximately 2pm today, an RBDF drone team and divers, working alongside local search and rescue teams, located numerous parts and official documentation believed to be from the overdue Piper PA-32 aircraft. 

The identity of the parts has not yet been confirmed.

The RBDF commenced search and rescue operations on Sunday after the aircraft was reported overdue. The aircraft was last observed on radar approximately 25 nautical miles south of New Providence. Search and rescue operations remain underway for the fuselage of the aircraft while investigations are ongoing.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force thanks the US Coast Guard and the local Search and Rescue teams for its continued assistance and support and remains committed to ongoing search efforts in the hope of bringing some measure of closure to the families and loved ones affected.