Parts of Pilot Clayton Patterson Smith’s aircraft found

Search and rescue teams have located numerous aircraft parts and official documentation believed to be connected to the overdue aircraft flown by Bahamian pilot Clayton Patterson Smith, who went missing after taking off from Exuma on Sunday.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) confirmed that the discovery was made at approximately 2 p.m. on Tuesday by its drone team and divers working alongside local search and rescue personnel.

According to the RBDF, the items recovered include numerous parts and official documentation believed to be from the missing aircraft.

However, authorities stressed that the identity of the recovered items has not yet been officially confirmed.

The RBDF commenced search and rescue operations on November 1 after the aircraft was reported overdue. The aircraft was last observed on radar approximately 25 nautical miles south of New Providence.

Despite the discovery, the search remains ongoing as teams continue efforts to locate the aircraft's fuselage.

Investigations are also underway to establish further details surrounding the aircraft's disappearance.

The operation has involved coordinated efforts between the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the United States Coast Guard and local search and rescue teams.

The Defence Force said it remains committed to the ongoing search efforts in the hope of bringing some measure of closure to the Smith family.