Plane crash victim released from hospital

The 78-year-old woman, from the Channel Island of Alderney, was on board the single-engine private plane yesterday when it ditched into the water 25 miles off the coast of Guernsey.

The plane was being piloted by her 79-year-old husband and a search is continuing for him.

The plane was due to land on Alderney after returning from the UK’s south coast.

A Russian merchant vessel found the woman on a liferaft and winched her to safety before a helicopter took her to hospital.

Inspector John Davis said: “She has been released into the care of her relatives and is apparently bearing up very well despite her ordeal. The Air Accident Investigation Branch from the UK is in Guernsey to start inquiries.”

A spokeswoman for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said: “We are investigating the accident but it entirely depends on the circumstances the investigators find with the accident.

“Every investigation is different and there is no standard time.

“The investigators will compile a report and that is when details come out but we are talking months rather than days.”