Wreckage of Missing German Plane Found Off Scottish Coast After 14 Months

Human remains were discovered inside the Cessna 172, which vanished in September 2023 during an unexplained flight deviation over the North Sea.

The wreckage of a German-registered Cessna 172 was recovered by a fishing vessel northeast of Lerwick, Shetland, and brought ashore on Sunday, December 8, 2024.
The aircraft, piloted by a 62-year-old experienced flyer, disappeared on September 30, 2023, after deviating from its planned route to Bayreuth, Germany, and flying northwest over the North Sea.
Human remains were found inside the wreckage, and investigations are ongoing to confirm the identity of the deceased, believed to be the pilot.
The pilot had requested a plane equipped with autopilot and reportedly told his wife on the morning of the flight that she would not accompany him as originally planned.
Authorities from the UK and Germany, including the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU), are collaborating to investigate the circumstances of the disappearance and crash.