Search Continues For Missing Millionaire Adventurer
Posted September 5, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Where in the world is Steve Fossett? If his name sounds familiar, it should. He lives the life many of us envy. Fossett is the millionaire adventurer who became the first person to fly around the world alone in a balloon back in 2002, and successfully completed a non-stop worldwide solo plane flight in 2005. He was getting ready for his next trip, a chance to set a world land speed record.
It’s believed Fossett was scouting for the perfect spot to achieve that milestone when he took off by himself in his single engine plane on Monday. He hasn’t been seen or heard from since. And concern is growing that the man who challenged death so many times before may have finally taken his daredevil quest one step too far.
A search is on in the rugged mountainous terrain of Nevada for the 63-year-old, who didn’t expect to be gone long, and isn’t believed to have taken any emergency gear with him. The plane, a Bellanca Citabria Super Decathlon , is equipped with a locator that sends a satellite signal out if the craft experiences problems, but so far, no such beacon has been received.
Crews conducted a 14-aircraft, 12,000 kilometre aerial grid search over the area on Tuesday, hoping to spot some sign of the missing adventurer. But nothing turned up and they were hampered in their hunt by some strong winds.
His friends are hoping that whatever happened, it’s just a small blip in an otherwise remarkable existence. “Steve is a tough old boot,” old friend and financial backer Sir Richard Branson relates. “Based on his track record, I feel confident we’ll get some good news soon.”
For now, searchers just want to find some evidence of what happened to him before the absence becomes fatal. Fossett has copious survival skills that could allow him to stay alive in the worst conditions while awaiting rescue. “He’s a very savvy and methodical and determined pilot. I’d give him the highest odds,” assures Civil Air Patrol Maj. Cynthia Ryan.
But she admits there’s a lot of ground to cover and not a lot to see. “It is a very large haystack,” she concludes. “And an airplane is a very small needle.”
Photo credit: Chip Somodevillia/Getty Images
