UPDATE | Search and recovery efforts continue for missing plane and presumed victims

CLEVELAND — Search-and-recovery efforts continue for the private plane that went missing over Lake Erie near Cleveland on Thursday, the city reported in its most-recent update.

In a 4 p.m. online post today, the city reported that seven vessels with four dive teams remained in the water. Additionally, a city police helicopter is searching by air, and the Cleveland MetroParks Rangers are using a small boat capable of searching near the shore.

A Cessna 525 Citation with six people aboard went missing Thursday night shortly after taking off from Burke Lakefront Airport. The plane was piloted by John T. Fleming, CEO of Youngstown-started Superior Beverage Co. Also aboard were Fleming’s wife, Suzanne, two teenage sons, and two neighbors.

In its update, the city said it is in touch with the families of those aboard the plane and asked the public to “continue to respect their privacy as they deal with this difficult situation.”

There have been multiple reports of debris washing ashore. Those items are being investigated. Only one item, found Sunday in Bratenal, was confirmed to belong to the aircraft, according to the news release.

“We want to remind everyone that this is an active investigation,” police Chief Calvin Williams said in a statement. “If you see something that could be debris from the plane, we are asking people to avoid touching it, and to call the division of police immediately.”