Floating wreckage of Brazilian plane carrying four UK businessmen recovered

May 7, 2008 Floating wreckage has been retrieved from a Brazilian Cessna 310 that disapeared on Friday with two local pilots and four businessmen from the United Kingdom. The debris was recovered from a beach in the North-East of the country.

The aircraft had been chartered by the businessmen from Aero Star to carry them as part of a trip to evaluate a potential luxury housing development. They have been identified as Nigel Hodges, 52, Alan Kempson, 46, Sean Woodhall, 43, and Ricky Every, 41. Nothing has been heard from them or their pilots since the plane lost radio contact on Friday evening and vanished.

The beach where the debris was recovered is about 90 to 95 kilometres (55 to 60 miles) North of the aircraft's last known position. The items retrieved are said to be a piece of one of the seats and a fragment of the cargo stowage area.

A naval boat, two C-95s from the air force and a helicopter are amongst the resources deployed to try and locate the aircraft and its missing occupants. One airforce spokeswoman said "Hopefully [they're alive], but we don't know."

The property the men were planning is an "eco-development" proposed by Worldwide Destinations, which is presided by Woodhall, who is a resident of Switzerland. The company employs Every in Brazil, and Kempson and Hadges are from finance company Diamond Lifestyle Holdings. Kempson is reported to be a friend of former UK Prime Minister Sir John Major. Hodges' wife and son have flown to Brazil to be present during the rescue operation.