26 Jul 2014

Weather hampering American Samoa plane search

10:15 am on 26 July 2014

Windy weather and high sea swells are making it difficult for searchers looking for an American man whose missing after his plane crashed into the sea off American Samoa.

Babar Suleman and his son Harris were on board a single engine plane which crashed shortly after takeoff from Pago Pago international Airport Tuesday night.

Harris' body has been recovered by searchers.

The search was called off at close to 6 PM last night after a difficult day of searching due to the weather.

The Director of Homeland Security, Utualii Iuniasolua Savusa, says in most missing at sea cases, the search is called off after 72 hours.

"We'll hope to provide an update on whether we will continue or whether we will end it, call it off."

The Director of Homeland Security, Utualii Iuniasolua Savusa.

The 72 hours for the search for Babar Suleman ends at 6 PM tonight.