Police scale back aerial search as plane crash debris found on sea floor
Aerial searches for missing pilot Bob Bramley in the remote Northern Territory are scaled back as police refocus their efforts on targeted dives near the crash site off Groote Eylandt.
Northern Territory police have stopped using aircraft for their search after discovering what appears to be wreckage from a light plane that crashed on the sea floor near Groote Eylandt. The pilot, 23-year-old Bob Bramley, is presumed dead. Police plan to cease aerial searches by the end of today, shifting focus to sonar and targeted dives.
Divers found debris, mostly light material like foam and seat cushioning, believed to be part of the aircraft's structure. The remote Gulf of Carpentaria's vastness and dangerous sea life, including sharks and crocodiles, complicate the search. Acting Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley emphasized the search's difficulty, attributing low chances of finding the pilot through broad-area surface and aerial searching.
Local Groote Eylandt Indigenous rangers are assisting the investigation. Police continue to keep Bramley's family informed and empathize with their grief.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
