Replies

F-16 Pilot Believed to be Dead, Wife Expecting

Updated: Oct 17, 2009 10:48 PM
Volunteers join search for missing F-16 pilot, Jordan Sandler reports
Picture released of missing F-16 pilot, debris found, Jack Kuenzie reports
Coast Guard finds oil slick from missing F-16, Hatzel Vela reports

Captain. Nicholas Giglio

NEWSMore>>
F-16 Pilot Believed to be Dead, Wife Expecting
Post office truck crashes into Midlands backyard
Burglars hitting Irmo neighborhood
Midlands man charged with intent to kill in shooting
Armed robbery turns into highway chase, suspects wreck car
Greer pickup wreck kills 1, injures 5; driver charged
Freestyle Music Park gets new investors
Jenny Sanford done talking about marriage rift
Manhunt for PA murder suspect ends at Columbia home
Charleston putting bikes in city transport plan
SHAW AFB, SC (WIS) - The Air Force and Coast Guard believe the accident that caused a Shaw-based F-16 pilot to crash was “most certainly fatal.”

In a news conference late Saturday a spokesperson said they believe Captain Nicholas Giglio died immediately after his jet crashed. In a news conference officials went on to say they believe Giglio was relatively new to F-16’s. They also said he was new to Shaw Air Force Base.

Military officials said Captain Giglio is leaving behind a wife, daughter and a baby is on the way.

The effort to find Captain Giglio is has officially gone from “active” to “recovery.”

Aircraft and ships have been searching more than 4,000 square miles of ocean northeast of Charleston since Captain. Nicholas Giglio’s F-16 Fighting Falcon disappeared following a mid-air collision.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Bobby Nash said Saturday that searchers are confident that Giglio could survive at sea if he survived the crash.

“A lot of things have happened where people survived impossible odds - fishermen clinging onto a cooler for several days,” he said. “Those people have no training. He certainly has training.”

The water temperature in the area of the crash is about 75 degrees, although a cold front has moved through since the crash. Temperatures along the South Carolina coast Saturday were expected to only rise to about 60.

Officials said after the crash that there were reports of debris and an oil slick in the water.

There has also been no signal from beacons that would have been on Giglio’s ejection seat and on his flight suit.

Giglio, originally from New Jersey, has been a fighter pilot for 18 months and is part of the 77th Fighter Squadron that is training for deployment to Iraq early next year.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11332053