REPORT: Pilot Of Missing Missoni Plane Had An Expired License
The plane, which had been carrying Missoni, his wife, two family friends, and two crew members disappeared near Venezuela January 4.
Italy's agency for flight security reportedly announced that the pilot, 72-year-old German Marchan, had a license that expired on November 30, reported New York Magazine, citing Italian paper La Repubblica.
While Marchan's age caused concern from the beginning of the investigation, one of his colleagues told La Stampa that Marchan is known as "one of the most expert and respected pilots in Los Roques."
The airline Marchan was working with in the Venezuelan islands didn't have a license either, according to the newspaper report.
Missoni and his entourage were traveling from the islands to the Venezuelan city of Caracas when their plane vanished without a trace.
New York Magazine also reported new details in the disappearance:
"The plane took off from Los Roques at 11:32 a.m. for the international airport inMaiquetia, Caracas. Seven minutes later, Marchan or his co-pilot reported the plane's position of ten nautical miles from the island of Gran Roque at 5,000 feet above sea level, but didn't make further contact. Based on data, the plane ascended to 5,400 feet or so, moving 13.2 nautical miles from Gran Roque before losing altitude and speed, and going off the radar."
The Missoni family has said they don't believe a plane crash is a likely scenario because physical evidence would have turned up by now. The family suggested that the plane could have been hijacked, but police said they aren't investigating the possibility.
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