The plane is believed to have landed at the airport and the bag is believed to be on the tarmac, according to Williams.
This implies it was carry-on luggage. Also implies someone opened the plane’s door and tossed the luggage onto the tarmac.
If it was a commuter plan it could have been checked. Some of those make you check your luggage and then pick it up on the tarmac. its been a long time, so that might have stopped, but it used to be the case.
Yep, reporting about his is clear as mud. But I have the same understanding.