Above: what is believed to be wreckage from the crash (Photo: JDF)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

A Jamaica Defence Force search and rescue team has spotted and photographed what is believed to be debris from Friday’s small plane crash near Port Antonio.

The debris field was spotted about 24 nautical miles north of Port Antonio.

“While it is not yet possible to confirm that the debris sighted is from the missing TBM 900, our pilots are very confident that the sighting is consistent with that of a high impact debris field, and this has since been corroborated by a United States Coast Guard C130 Aircraft involved in the operation,” the JDF said in a statement.

The plane caused a scare around the region yesterday when it became unresponsive en route to Florida.

The small craft eventually went off course into Cuban airspace and into Jamaica where it finally went down.

“The JDF is currently executing search operations to locate and recover the debris in order to positively identify it as part of the wreckage of the missing aircraft,” the JDF said. “The JDF Coast Guard is continuing the search and rescue operation throughout the night, and will be bolstered by the addition of JDF aerial assets at first light Saturday morning. There is also a United States Coast Guard Cutter en route to the scene, in order to assist in the operation.”