Missing Businessmen - Search Abandoned

A RESCUE mission searching for two directors of a Huntingdon company whose plane went missing in Brazil has been abandoned. Alan Kempson, 46, and Nigel Hodges, 52, were on board the Cessna 310 when it disappeared at about 1743 (2143 BST) on Friday, May 2.

A RESCUE mission searching for two directors of a Huntingdon company whose plane went missing in Brazil has been abandoned.

Alan Kempson, 46, and Nigel Hodges, 52, were on board the Cessna 310 when it disappeared at about 1743 (2143 BST) on Friday, May 2.

The men are both senior figures in finance company Diamond Lifestyle Limited, which is based at Hinchingbrooke Business Park in Huntingdon.

Also on board were Sean Woodhall, 43 and Ricky Every, 41, who work for travel firm Worldwide Destinations, which has an office in St Neots.

Brazilian naval and air forces have been searching an area of more than 3,475 square miles after part of the men's plane washed up on a beach on Tuesday.

Also missing are the Aero Star plane's pilot and co-pilot, Clovis de Figueiredo e Silva and Leandro Oliveira Veloso.

The men had been attempting to fly south from Salvador on Brazil's eastern coast to the coastal resort of Ilheus, 134 miles away.

Air Force Lt Col Beatriz Dellamora said that relatives of the four businessmen have rented a private boat and sonar equipment to continue searching in deeper waters.

It is understood Mr Kempson and Mr Hodges had been visiting an investment opportunity in Brazil with Worldwide Destinations.

Mr Kempson, who has lived in Brampton and has a home in Butcher's Close, Alconbury Weston, is a friend of former Huntingdon MP and Prime Minister Sir John Major. He is married to his second wife Sandy and owns a villa in Marbella, Spain.

Mr Hodges lives in Somerset, Mr Every is understood to live in Brazil while Mr Woodhall is thought to live in Switzerland.

Diamond Lifestyle has recently run into financial difficulties and recently ceased trading on the stock exchange at its own request.