A Beech Bonanza Plane that left Baker City, Oregon on Sunday morning continues to be searched for, however the accuracy of the faint transmitter beacon heard Tuesday morning which narrowed down the search area is in question. Rescuers broadened the search area Wednesday and brought in new planes with diverse capabilities to aid in the search.
The five planes from the Civil Air Patrol and two Idaho National Guard helicopters are being used to grid the entire expanded search area Wednesday. The Patrol is now using infrared radar, which detects ground temperatures and can pick up anomalies such as sunlight reflecting off metal.
Passengers in the craft included pilot Dale Smith, his daughter Amber and her fiancee Jonathan Norton, and his son, Daniel and wife Sheree Smith.
Despite temperatures below freezing yesterday, the rescue efforts have 60 searchers, more than any other day of the search.