An independent investigator will be appointed shortly to carry out all the necessary investigations after a Pacific Flying School plane went missing at 12.30pm yesterday.
This has been confirmed by Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
He says the search operations are continuing and it is led by Airports Fiji Limited, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji, Police RFMF and Navy.
Sayed-Khaiyum says they are still hopeful that they will find the crash site and the search will continue until they have done so.
The air and ground search is continuing in Vanua Levu as rescue officers try to find the Pacific Flying School plane.
The two people on board - instructor Iliesa Tawalo and trainee pilot, Merelesita Lutu had their last contact just after midday yesterday.
The Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue Coordination Centre says that they have a forward staging team on the ground in Labasa focused on operations and coordinating with the search and rescue workers, Police and Airports Fiji Limited.
Two aircraft are now engaged in the search while the ground search team of RFMF and Police are combing the area on foot.
The joint Police and RFMF search party started their search near Vunikavula Hills in Vanua Levu earlier today.
The search also continues in Doguru and Delaikoro.
The Flying School has said that the plane left Nadi at 7.30am yesterday and was last located in Vanua Levu at about 12.30pm yesterday.
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 yesterday.
Meanwhile, a resident of Kawakawa, Waiqele in Labasa says he saw a small aircraft making rounds in his area between 11.30am and 12pm yesterday.
Mahendra Kumar told Fijivillage that he was in his farm when he heard the sound of the aircraft and saw it making three rounds before it disappeared.
