KENNEDY PLANE VANISHES

July 18, 1999
		Coast Guard, state police and others continue to search for survivors of a small plane carrying John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife and her sister. The plane, piloted by Kennedy, apparently crashed into the waters just off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. -- Posted 1:00pm ET

Jan. 1, 1998: The NewsHour historians look at the Kennedy family in the wake of Michael Kennedy's death   Senator Edward Kennedy's homepage U.S. Coast Guard Federal Aviation Administration	As the search and rescue operation entered its second day, the officials said they had still not located any major wreckage from the plane. Yesterday, debris that had been located included part of the landing gear, a prescription bottle for Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and a black suitcase apparently belonging to Lauren Bessette. Although the last contact with Kennedy's plane was at 9:38pm on Friday, officials continue to hold out hope for the best. "We're not ready to give up on this yet," Rear Admiral Richard Larrabee of the Coast Guard said. Although he said the searchers were still hopeful, Rear Adm. Larrabee did admit there has been "no indication of survivors." Searchers continue to comb the waters 12-17 miles southwest of Martha's Vineyard as well as use all terrain vehicles to scour beaches on the island. The Coast Guard had narrowed the search area to some 1200 square miles of ocean in hopes of locating more debris or survivors during the day Sunday. [Click here for a map of the search area from the New York Times]
	Vanished
	John F. Kennedy Jr, 38, was flying his six-seat Piper Saratoga-style aircraft to Hyannisport, MA to attend the wedding of his cousin, Rory Kennedy, youngest daughter of former Senator Robert Kennedy. The plane left Essex County Airport in Fairfield, NJ at approximately 8:30pm Friday. The Federal Aviation Administration reports that there were no flight restrictions that night that might have limited Mr. Kennedy, who received his pilot's license about a year ago, from flying. The three planned to fly first to Martha's Vineyard to drop off Ms. Bessette, a 34-year old investment banker for Morgan Stanley in New York. They then planned to continue on the additional 25 miles to Hyannisport. The FAA said the last contact with the plane was at 9:38pm as the plane approached the island from the Southwest.
	A Celebration Postponed
	Much of the Kennedy family had already gathered for the wedding of Rory Kennedy and Mark Bailey. When John Kennedy's plane had not arrived as of midnight, the family contacted the FAA and a vigil at the house began. The large tent for the wedding stood empty on the Kennedy compound at Hyannisport. The wedding has been postponed indefinitely and several priests have been counseling the family. Mr. Kennedy, the only surviving son of the 35th president of the United States, is often remembered for when, as a three-year-old, he saluted the coffin of his fallen father. John F. Kennedy served as an Assistant District Attorney. Later he founded and edited George, a magazine that worked to make the political process more accessible.