Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Tellis Bethel said the circumstances surrounding the search of missing pilot Byron Ferguson’s six-seater Piper Aztec is a “unique one”, as marines continue to look for any debris in the area of the crash. 

The ongoing search for wreckage of young Ferguson’s plane, that crashed in waters just off nirvana on November 8, 2018 is out of the ordinary,  as Commodore Bethel told reporters that kind of search would have, under ordinary circumstances, been concluded. 

“It’s a unique situation concerning his case, in that we patrol that area daily and so our persons are still on the lookout for any debris. 

“So, in effect it would have been ended, but we still have people patrolling the area; so, why not look out for any debris and any evidence of the aircraft,” Mr. Bethel said.

When pressed by the reporters if this meant the search is continuous, Mr. Bethel stressed that marines were told to stay alert. 

“As I said, it’s a very unique situation.

“I have tasked my people to continue, because we are in that area, we patrol that daily, so it doesn’t make sense to say okay end it and you’re still patrolling the area. 

“So, they are going to be looking, you want to stay alert,” Mr. Bethel said. 

A little over two months ago, Ferguson’s plane went down in waters just two miles shy of Lynden Pindling International Airport shortly after he called in to Air Traffic Control that his plane’s door had flown open. 

Sometime later he reported engine issues with the plane.

Shortly after the crash the tail of the plane was located by Defence Force Officers responding to the crash site, but then lost it  when  they  returned the following day. 

Since that time private citizens assisting in the search and rescue efforts at the time, found pieces of the plane. 

Commodore Bethel, however, said no other debris has been found since.