American business jet missing after taking off in Dominican Republic

USPA News - A search operation was launched Thursday after an American business jet took off from the Dominican Republic and failed to arrive at its destination, officials said. It was not immediately known how many people were on board.

The twin-engine Hawker Siddeley 125-600A aircraft departed Las Américas International Airport near the capital Santo Domingo at 10:42 p.m. local time on Wednesday and was en-route to Punta Cana International Airport in the country`s east, about 165 kilometers (102 miles) east of the capital. The Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC) said a search was launched on Thursday afternoon after the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination. "There was a flight plan which was not completed and that prompted IDAC technicians in conjunction with other state and international agencies to begin a search," a spokesperson said. Federal records from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that the aircraft, which was built in 1976, was registered to a company in the U.S. state of Delaware. The company`s website said it provides services that allow American aviators to register their aircraft at a mailing address in Delaware, indicating that the aircraft`s owner may be located elsewhere in the United States. It remained unclear on Friday how many people were on board the aircraft, which can carry a maximum capacity of 10 to 16 people.