Search Called Off for Dog-rescue Pilot Who Went Off-course in Texas, Into Gulf of Mexico

The search has ended for an Oklahoma pilot who went off-course Wednesday while flying a small aircraft to pick up a rescue dog in Texas, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard called off the search in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday after 79 hours of looking for Bill Kinsinger, a volunteer with Pilots N Paws. Kinsinger was last seen on radar Wednesday when his plane diverted from its original path and headed over the gulf. He was flying a Cirrus aircraft from Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City to Georgetown where he was going to pick up a disabled husky to bring her to a foster home. The Coast Guard searched 17,458 nautical square miles looking for any sign of Kinsinger."Ending a search is a difficult decision that we put the upmost thought and consideration into," Capt. David Cooper, chief of incident management of the Eighth Coast Guard District said in a written statement. "Dr. Kinsinger was a well loved man and our hearts go out to everyone impacted during this tragic time."  Continue reading...