Alan Kempson, Nigel Hodges, Sean Woodall and Ricky Every's plane went missing on an exploratory visit for a property company, Worldwide Destinations, which has an office in St Neots.

Lt Col Beatriz Dellamora from Brazil's air force said the search was called off after rescue teams aided by a patrol plane, two helicopters and navy vessels scoured an area of more than 3,475 square miles.

Earlier this week, rescue workers found part of the wreckage of the twin-engine Cessna off the southern coast of the state of Bahia.

Lt Col Dellamora said relatives of the four businessmen have rented a private boat and sonar equipment to continue searching in deeper waters.

Also missing are the plane's pilot and co-pilot, Clovis de Figueiredo e Silva and Leandro Oliveira Veloso.

Edylson Pereira dos Santos, an official with Brazil's Infraero airport authority, said the four passengers were investors in a luxury real estate venture.

Mr Kempson, 46, and Mr Hodges, 52, are both directors of a finance company called Diamond Lifestyle Holdings (DLH), which is based at Hinchingbrooke Business Park, in Huntingdon.


May 7, 8am: A rescue team will this morning resume its search of a Brazilian beach spot where the wreckage of a plane carrying four British businessman was discovered.


Alan Kempson, Nigel Hodges, Sean Woodall and Ricky Every's plane went missing on an exploratory visit for a property company, Worldwide Destinations, which has an office in St Neots.

Mr Kempson, 46, and Mr Hodges, 52, are both directors of a finance company called Diamond Lifestyle Holdings (DLH), which is based at Hinchingbrooke Business Park, in Huntingdon.

The wreckage of a plane has been washed up on a beach in north east Brazil after the disappearance of a plane carrying four British businessmen and two pilots.

Last night the hunt for the men ended fruitlessly, with the country's airforce discovering only a fragment of seat and part of a luggage compartment.

But with the approach of sunset spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Beatriz said the crew was still 'hopeful' of discovering all or some of the men alive.

Brazilian authorities said the wreckage has been washed up on a beach 90 to 95km (56-59 miles) north of Ilheus, the coastal city where the plane was due to land. The Brazilian Airforce has deployed a helicopter search and rescue team and families in Brazil and the UK have been informed.

A search was launched after the twin-engine Cessna 310 they were flying in lost contact with air-traffic controllers minutes before it was due to land in Ilheus on Friday night.

Mr Woodhall is the president of Worldwide Destinations, which has its headquarters in Malaga, Spain, as well as the office in Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Court Road, Eaton Socon.

Mr Every lives in Brazil and also works for the firm that specialisies in luxury developments in emerging markets.

Mr Kempson (46) and Mr Hodges (52) are both directors of a finance company called Diamond Lifestyle Holdings (DLH), which is based at Hinchingbrooke Business Park, in Huntingdon.

The company's non-executive chairman Paul Hughes said: "All we know is that the plane is missing.

"I am obviously very worried, and my thoughts are with their wives and families."

Mr Kempson is chief executive and co-founder of the company, and Mr Hodges is finance director and company secretary.

It has been reported that Mr Kempson is a close friend of former Prime Minister Sir John Major.

The four had been due to spend the weekend attending meetings and looking at potential sites for "eco-developments" of homes in the region, which is becoming a hotspot for investors as the Brazilian economy and tourist industry grows.

A number of aircraft were sent to look for the plane after it disappeared off the Atlantic coast.

Teams from the Brazilian air force, police and volunteers have been scouring 240 sq miles of jungle and sea.

Brazilian authorities were also reportedly investigating eyewitnesses who said they saw a plane crash.