Could Be Cessna 172 That Was Reported Missing On December 29

An aircraft that may be a Cessna 172 that disappeared on December 29 in Utah may have been found at the bottom of the Great Salt Lake, authorities said Sunday.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that an object found at the bottom of the lake has been "unequivocally" identified as an airplane, according to a news release from the Box Elder County Sheriff's office.

Poor weather prevented authorities from diving on the site over the weekend. A new schedule to put divers in the water to look at the airplane has not been determined, according to the release.

The missing airplane departed from Ogden Hinckley Airport on December 29 with two people on board. Pilot Denny Mansell, 71, and passenger Peter Ellis, 74 had planned to fly to Promontory, UT to see trains at the Golden Spike National Historic Site.

The object believed to be the Cessna was found Saturday morning in about 14 feet of water, according to the release. It is surrounded by debris. Deteriorating weather forced the delay in the dive to confirm if the plane was indeed the missing aircraft.

Several agencies have participated in the search, according to the release. They include the Box Elder County sheriff, BE Search and Rescue, Utah Department of Public Safety, Civil Air Patrol, Box Elder Communications Center, Utah Division of Natural Resources and Weber County Scuba/Search and Rescue.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report