After a new tip, the search for the Cessna that disappeared over the Ötztal on Holy Saturday was expanded to the Sellraintal and the Stubai Valley. On Easter Monday, extreme weather conditions made further search flights more difficult.
The disappearance of a single-engine Cessna 172 over the Ötztal on Saturday remains a mystery for now. “Due to the extremely unfavorable conditions with rain, snow and lack of visibility, new search flights could not be started on Monday,” a police spokesperson said.
Multiple observations
The last reference to the machine (identification “D-EFCC”) came from a group of ski touring enthusiasts. “They saw the machine in the Sellrain and Stubaital area,” said Klaus Hohenauer of the country’s aviation authority. A witness had previously spotted the Cessna at the Winnebachseehütte (near Gries near Längenfeld). He thought he could see that the plane was having difficulty maintaining the necessary altitude above the mountains.
The nearest mountain rescue service – Gries near Längenfeld – is currently only on standby. “We briefly considered whether we should start looking. But where to start? It would also be very dangerous, because there has been a lot of snow there recently,” says local branch manager Günter Schöpf. Hohenauer emphasizes that, given the rather low performance of this machine, it is not easy to fight a foehnstorm. In aviation circles, given the weather conditions, there is talk of an extremely daring crossing over the Alps.
The start took place on Easter Saturday in Urbe near Rome, the destination airport was Kaufbeuren-Bad Wörishofen in the Allgäu. Contact was lost around 11:45 a.m. northeast of Sölden.
So far no reports of “crash transmitters”
The emergency services have not yet received a report from the ‘crash transmitter’, which is automatically activated in the event of a collision and provides information about the crash location. However, this does not work in all cases. Requirements include certain g-forces that occur during an emergency landing.
Source: Krone

I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.