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Searchers Out In Full Force To Look For Missing Arkansas Forestry Pilot

As of Wednesday morning, more than 200 people are searching for the missing Arkansas Forestry Commission pilot, Jake Harrell, who has been missing since Friday.

15 aircraft, including nine from the Civil Air Patrol, four from the Arkansas Forestry Commission, one from the State Police, and two from the National Guard are extending their search routes in the area south of Oden.

Officials say the commission has received many tips from local residents of any plane sightings from Friday. The commission is comparing the information to the map of where Harrell was last in contact.

“We’re extremely encouraged today because the visibility is improved significantly since yesterday. We’ve got ground crews out right now and folks are wearing hardhats and extreme cold weather gear today,” said commission Spokeswoman Adriane Barnes.

She said because of icy weather on Tuesday, the air crews could not search then. However, they were able to send some ground crews.

“Every resource, every effort, every dedicated person to this wants Jake home with all our heart and we are doing everything we can to get him home,” Barnes said.