Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey: Witnesses say body falls from sky, then disappears.

 Police suspended the search for a person who witnesses say fell from a plane without a parachute Tuesday afternoon.

An extensive aerial and ground search for the person was halted at dusk.

Egg Harbor Township police received reports from three "credible witnesses" at Shore Veterinarians North on the Black Horse Pike that a person appeared to be free-falling from the sky, but did not have a parachute, Capt. Michael Morris said. A news release further described the person as falling headfirst, with the body at a slight angle.

Police launched a ground search. But after finding nothing, authorities began searching from the air using State Police and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters, Morris said.

The search centered on the area bordered by the Black Horse Pike, the Atlantic City Expressway, Uibel Avenue and English Creek Avenue. An orange Coast Guard helicopter hovered just above treetops for hours and smaller State Police helicopters whizzed a little higher in the sky. The witnesses said they last saw the person slightly northwest of the Black Horse Pike, closer to Tilton Road, Delilah Road or Westcoat Road, the news release said.

Atlantic County Emergency Management set up a command post in the parking lot behind the King Pin Bowling, where Egg Harbor Township police directed operations. Officials from the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office also were on the scene and are investigating, spokeswoman Madelaine Vitale said.

On Tilton Road, the Cardiff Volunteer Fire Company set up its ladder truck on the side of the road and firefighters stood atop the aerial platform. At least a dozen police officers were canvassing in the area. The search was suspended at about 7:30 p.m. because of darkness, but Morris said the investigation is continuing and may resume this morning.

Police are asking for any additional witnesses who may have seen similar activity in the sky over the Cardiff section of the township at about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Morris said there were no reports of missing skydivers or similar incidents from area airports.

"This is not an area where we see skydivers," he said.

via Egg Harbor Township police suspend search, after witnesses report a person falling from the sky over Egg Harbor Township - pressofAtlanticCity.com.

Crash test dummy prank? Air National Guard training? See "Atlantic City Air National Guard Base (IAP), Egg Harbor Township, NJ, USA"

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