Officials: No evidence of man falling from aircraft

LAKE SUZY — Authorities responded late Thursday to an initial call of an aircraft emergency over rural North Port or in DeSoto County.

Witnesses told authorities they'd seen a man fall from a type of hang glider.

Authorities searched the Pembroke Circle area in Lake Suzy. North Port officials, including the Fire Rescue teams and ambulance crews, scoured the Yorkshire area, near Blueleaf Drive.

According to North Port Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Scott Lane, witnesses said they saw a craft doing tricks.

Zach Howell, Langdon Bell and Matthew Speidel were all about one block from where officials were circling. They said, as frequent visitors to the area, they see a man hang gliding there often.

Lane said there is also a chance that the craft may have safely landed on a nearby runway, according to Lane. North Port Police Public Information Officer Josh Taylor said DeSoto County initially received the call.

North Port, along with its on ground personnel, putting up a drone. Sarasota County Sheriff's Office's helicopter unit was also in the air for a time.

As of Friday, no evidence of a crash of a small aircraft nor a fall of a person had been found, according to DeSoto County officials.