Missing since 1971, a plane has been discovered submerged in a US lake.

After over five decades, experts believe they have finally found the wreckage of a private plane that disappeared in a snowy Vermont night in the USA. It is a bittersweet discovery that brings some closure to the families of the five men who were on board the jet when it vanished on January 27, 1971. The plane was en route from Burlington airport to Providence, Rhode Island, carrying two crew members and three employees of a Georgia development company, Cousin's Properties, who were working on a project in Burlington.

Despite multiple searches, no trace of the 10-seat Jet Commander was found, and the lake where it was believed to have crashed froze over just four days after the incident. But last month, underwater searcher Garry Kozak and his team, using a remotely operated vehicle, found the wreckage of a jet with a matching custom paint scheme in Lake Champlain, close to where the plane was last tracked by the radio control tower before it disappeared. The wreck was located at a depth of 60 meters near Juniper Island, and sonar images were taken to confirm its identity.

Kozak, who has been searching for the plane for years, said that with all the pieces of evidence they have gathered, they are 99% certain that they have found the long-lost jet. This discovery has brought some closure to the families of the victims, who have been living with unanswered questions for over half a century. However, it has also opened up old wounds and raised new questions.

Barbara Nikitas, the niece of pilot George Nikita, expressed mixed emotions upon hearing the news. She said that while it is a peaceful feeling to finally know what happened to the plane, it is also a sad feeling. She and her family have seen a couple of photos of the wreckage and are now struggling to come to terms with the reality of the tragedy.

Frank Wilder, whose father was a passenger on the plane, also shared similar sentiments. He said that for 53 years, not knowing the fate of the plane was distressing, but now that it has been found, it has brought some relief. However, it has also opened up new questions, and they are now left to grapple with the unknown.

According to Kozak, when the ice melted in the spring of 1971, debris from the plane was found on Shelburne Point. An underwater search was conducted in May of that year, but it was unsuccessful. Over the years, at least 17 other searches were carried out, including one in 2014, spurred by the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines plane. But it was not until last month that Kozak and his team finally found the wreckage.

The families of the victims played a crucial role in the recent search efforts, with Barbara Nikitas and her cousin Kristina Nikita Coffey spearheading the efforts and reaching out to other relatives of the victims. Charles Williams, son of one of the employees of Cousin's Properties who was on the plane, shared that reconnecting with the group and sharing information and documents gave them a greater understanding and perspective of the tragedy.

Williams also praised Kozak for his dedication and perseverance in searching for the plane. After the unsuccessful search in 2014, Kozak was still intrigued and went through a sonar survey of the lake taken by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and Middlebury College. He found four anomalies on the lake floor and, with the help of a colleague and a friend with a remotely operated vehicle, they found a plane, but it turned out to be a military aircraft. Last winter, Kozak searched the sonar survey again and found another anomaly, which they confirmed last month to be the wreckage of the long-lost jet.

The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating to verify if it is indeed the plane. Williams shared that the NTSB does not do salvage operations, which would be costly. He also stated that the decision to disturb the wreckage and possibly find tangible remains is one that they will have to think about carefully.

For now, the families of the victims plan to hold a memorial now that they know the location of the plane. They also urge everyone to follow their WhatsApp channel for all the latest news, celebrity updates, and sports news. It is a private and secure platform where they can stay connected without any interference or algorithm.

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