Rescue Efforts Scaled Back To Handful Of Aircraft

Some discouraging -- though not unexpected -- news on the search for missing aviator Steve Fossett. Officials involved with the now two-week-old search effort tell Agence-France Presse efforts have slowed considerably, with only a handful of military helicopters still flying.

Nevada State Police spokesman Chuck Allen said the Civil Air Patrol has also scaled back its efforts, after completing a search of approximately 20,000 square miles of mountainous terrain in western Nevada.

"The Civil Air Patrol feel that they have completed their search of 98 percent of the ground that needed to be covered," Allen told AFP. "They feel like they've done everything they can at this stage. They will leave two aircraft on standby and in the event of them receiving new information, or a positive lead, they will be deployed."

Allen added pilots and ground crews involved in the mission -- including many volunteers -- are disappointed their efforts have, so far, come up empty-handed.

"With all the assets that have been used in this operation there is a level of frustration that we have not been able to find Mr Fossett," he said. "Everyone involved has put in 102 percent, so yes, there is disappointment."

As ANN reported, Fossett disappeared after taking off from Flying M Ranch in Yerlington, NV September 3, on what was reported to be a scouting flight for suitable locations for a land speed record attempt later this year.

At one point, as many as 45 planes were involved in the massive search effort... which uncovered seven previously unrecorded accident sites, but no sign of the millionaire adventurer.

FMI: www.cap.gov, www.stevefossett.com