WARREN COUNTY- The family of a Utica man became concerned after they had not heard from him for several hours after he flew out of a private landing strip on Saturday.
Hinds County officials began receiving phone calls from family members of Howard Jennings around 7 p.m. on Saturday night.
The family told officials that they had last heard from him around 1 p.m. when he sent a photo of a sandbar near the Mississippi River. Jennings took off from a private landing strip near his home on Saturday afternoon. His destination was set for the Mississippi River near Grand Power Station.
Efforts by the Warren County Sheriff’s department to find Jennings were postponed due to weather and darkness.
Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said the aircraft was finally located around 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning by Metro One.
“We believe after interviewing him and looking at some other things that the plane went down around 1:15 Saturday afternoon.” said Sheriff Pace.
Jennings’ plane was found upside down in the water and he appeared to be suffering from hypothermia and dehydration. He was rushed on Metro One to River Region Hospital in Vicksburg.
Sheriff Pace confirmed that Jennings was in good condition and had been released from the hospital.
The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting the investigation.
