WE PRAY: Two Planes Collide Mid-Air Near The LA Harbor

Passengers on a private fishing boat alerted the Coast Guard of a small plane plunging into the water at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, the same time radar signal for two aircrafts was lost.

Their investigation region will be expanded by crisis staff for three individuals who have been reported missing following a midair crash involving two little airplanes off the Southern California coast, authorities said.

Officials believe a 72-year-old pilot was the only occupant of the second plane. Coast Guard officials stated during a news conference Friday evening that a debris field was found by a fisherman within five minutes of the planes going down.

After 24 hours and no sign of the missing persons, rescue crews suspended their search by mid-afternoon on Friday, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The search for wreckage and possible survivors is expected to continue through the night and into Saturday.

Divers have been sent to search the area, with the current efforts focusing on 200 square miles.

“We don’t want to give up on anybody that potentially is out there”, Capt. Jennifer Williams said.

Richard Garnett, chief flight instructor with the Long Beach Flying Club, said the pilots practice in an area that is 10 to 20 square miles and at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 feet.

Friday’s midair collision was not the first in the area.

The search for the three survivors of the mid-air plane collision in LA has been called off, as rescue team now look for the recovery of bodies and further wreckage in what is called “recovery mode”. And back in 1986, a pair of small planes flown by students collided but survived the incident and returned to local airports; none of the four people on board were hurt. “We’re extremely diligent. I do not understand why, what occurred in this scenario”.