The United States Coast Guard suspended the search for part-time Southold resident Jennifer Blumin, 40, her two young sons and pilot Nathan Ulrich, 52, at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, according to a USCG press release.
The plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2, lost radar and radio contact about 37 miles east of Eleuthera, Bahamas at 2:10 p.m. Monday while en route from Puerto Rico to Florida.
The Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, Customs and Border Patrol and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force searched over 11,000 square miles for more than 75 hours and found only a debris field which contained components confirmed to be from an MU-2B airplane.
“This was a swift and significant loss and its impact has reverberated through everyone that participated in the search,” said Christopher Eddy, search and rescue mission coordinator. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all of the families involved.”