The air and ground search for the Pacific Flying School plane has resumed in Vanua Levu this morning.
The Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue Coordination Centre says they hope for a break in the weather to cover some key search areas this morning.
A team of over 30 Police and RFMF Officers resumed the ground search at 6am today.
They will continue searching Doguru and Delaikoro, however, the search team has now ruled out the Waikisi area.
Day two of the search had concluded at 5pm yesterday due to bad weather conditions that caused visibility issues for the search and rescue team.
Police are requesting people to stop spreading information about alleged sightings as this is deviating the search team from the search plans only to find these tips completely false.
The search team is led by Divisional Police Commander North SSP Verani Nakauyaca.
#SAR (Vanua Levu) Ground and Air teams are gearing up again for continued search. Hoping for a break in the weather to cover some key search areas this morning #Fiji #TeamFiji pic.twitter.com/6XOmFwztaY
— FMSRCC (@fmsrcc) February 27, 2018
Meanwhile, the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has confirmed that an independent investigator will be appointed shortly to carry out all the necessary investigations.
Sayed-Khaiyum says they are still hopeful that they will find the crash site and the search will continue until they have done so.
He says the last location on the Automatic Dependent Surveillance‑Broadcast for the Cessna 172 aircraft record by Air Traffic Control was about 6 nautical miles south‑south‑west of Labasa and approximately 1 nautical mile west‑north‑west of Navakura Village.
The two people on board - instructor Iliesa Tawalo and trainee pilot, Merelesita Lutu had their last contact just after midday Monday.
The joint Police and RFMF search party started their search near Vunikavula Hills in Vanua Levu yesterday.
The Flying School has said that the plane left Nadi at 7.30am Monday and was last located in Vanua Levu just after midday Monday.
Fijivillage has received confirmation that the Flying School plane left Nadi with flight instructor Iliesa Tawalo and two female trainee pilots.
One of the trainee pilots, Kalara Derederenalagi got off at Labasa Airport and the instructor and the other trainee pilot, Merelesita Lutu then went towards Savusavu Airport.
They could not land there due to bad weather and decided to fly back and land in Labasa.
However, the plane is missing since 12.30pm Monday.
