Police have recovered a body in the search for a pilot who is said to have left a suicide note before dive-bombing his light aircraft into a reservoir.
Essex Police were first called to the scene of the ‘serious incident’ shortly after 2pm on Sunday at the Hanningfield Reservoir between Chelmsford and Billericay.
The private aircraft, a Beagle B121 Pup, had left North Weald Airfield just before 12pm that day.
On Tuesday afternoon, a man’s body was recovered by divers, police confirmed. He is believed to have been the sole occupant of the aircraft.
Police sources earlier told The Sun that notes were found from the pilot suggesting he intended to take his own life.
Data from FlightRadar24 suggested the aircraft made a rapid descent, losing around 1,800 feet of altitude in a matter of seconds before its final tracking signal was received.
Data suggests the total flight time was one hour and 23 minutes, during which the pilot circled the reservoir a number of times before it crashed.
Officers said there are no suspicious circumstances and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
The incident has not impacted the supply of water to customers, Essex and Suffolk Water said.
Chief Superintendent Waheed Khan said: ‘I would firstly like to recognise that someone has lost their life in tragic circumstances. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this incident.
‘Work to formally identify this man will be undertaken sensitively with HM Coroner, and it is not right that we officially confirm his identity until this procedure is followed.
‘My officers, the AAIB and divers supporting from the Metropolitan Police Service continued to search the reservoir following activity late into Monday evening (29 December).
‘Our inquiries identified the specific area we believe the aircraft entered the water, and using sonar equipment under the water the teams methodically scanned the reservoir floor.
‘This has resulted in the discovery of debris and, crucially, a body.
‘We believe this is the body of the sole occupant of the aircraft and our search activity has therefore concluded.
‘As a result of further investigative work, we will be preparing a file for the coroner.
‘Responsibility for the reservoir and any required further recovery work will pass back to the owners of the site.
‘I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we carry this search out. This was highly detailed work being carried out by specialists from across multiple agencies.’
The plane was listed for sale with Just Plane Trading Ltd for around £55,000 at the time.
The listing described the aircraft as ‘superb in every respect’ and a ‘joy to fly’.
It read: ‘You’d be very lucky to find another one as good as this.’
A spokesperson for Essex and Suffolk Water added: ‘Essex and Suffolk water teams are managing the reservoir carefully to ensure that water quality and ecology are protected.’
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