After five days of searching through thick forests and flying over and sailing on Lake Superior’s cold waters from Duluth to the Canadian border, authorities still have no clue where 67-year-old pilot Michael Arthur Bratlie or his white twin engine Piper PA-31 red and blue striped Navajo plane are.
Most of the current activity is being conducted in Cook County and on Lake Superior.
Bratlie, a resident of Lakeville, was last heard from late Friday night, June 8, as he flew north of Duluth. Radar and a trace on his cell phone indicated he was northeast of Silver Bay when he disappeared.
The Duluth Coast Guard sent a boat and crew to the area where Bratlie was last heard from but, after finding nothing, they gave up their search early Sunday morning and returned home.
According to the Civil Air Patrol, Bratlie was to fly from Fleming Field in South St. Paul to Duluth and back to Fleming Field again on Friday. How he ended up near Silver Bay is a mystery. Bratlie is a former Navy and a retired Northwest Airlines pilot with thousands of hours of flight time.
To date, nine Civil Air Patrol planes and two ground patrol teams have been involved in the search. The Coast Guard has also been looking for any sign of the pilot or plane and as many as 60 Civil Air volunteers have also assisted in the search.
Locally, the air, ground, and water searches continue with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fire-spotting planes now involved as well as Border Patrol personnel.
If anyone thinks they might have seen something that could help with the search, please call local law enforcement at 387-3030.
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