LENOIR
CITY (WATE) -- A Lenoir City man is the co-pilot of a plane missing in
the Amazon Jungle in Guyana. Chris Paris, 23, was working with a uranium mining company called U308, based in Toronto, Canada when his plane went missing on November 1.
The plane, a King Air model, didn't return to its base in Georgetown, Guyana. It was due back from a mining survey in the late afternoon, according to a spokesman for the company that made the plane, Dynamic Aviation Group, Inc.
Paris was one of three people onboard the plane. The other two were a pilot and an equipment operator.
Dynamic Aviation sent a plane to help with the search effort Friday morning. The Guyana government is also involved in the search.
Lenoir City Pilot Vanishes in Amazon
LOUDON COUNTY (WVLT) --There's no sign of a Loudon county pilot, nearly
a week after his plane disappeared in the Amazon. Christopher Paris, 23,
was co-pilot of the twin engine plane that vanished last Saturday.
The Lenoir City native just graduated from Middle Tennessee State
University this spring.
Paris' dad, Michael Paris, said his son enjoyed the outdoors, was an
eagle scout, and played sports. However, flying was what his son loved
more than anything. Now, Paris' biggest passion has given his family
their biggest scare.
"Aviation is what he wanted to do," Michael Paris said about his missing
son.
Michael Paris says he first learned about his son's disappearance when
the U.S. Embassy in Guyana called.
"Just you heart drops out. You don't know what to think," he said.
Michael Paris' son was co-pilot of a twin engine Beach King aircraft
when it vanished about an hour into its South American flight near
Georgetown, Guyana Saturday, November 1st. Now, nearly a week later, an
extensive search and rescue has turned up nothing.
"No plane right now is better than finding one at this point. I have to
believe in faith that Christopher is alive out there," Michael Paris
said.
Paris was flying with Dynamic Aviation, based of out Virginia. He, along
with two other crew members, were conducting geophysical surveys for a
Canadian mining company.
"He was excited about going out of the country. He'd just come back from
Canada, Washington, and Mexico, and California, basically doing the same
thing," Michael Paris Said.
Paris graduated from Middle Tennessee State University this spring,
where he'd also been a flight instructor there for about a year.
"It's not the type of news you want to hear, but it's part of our
business," MTSU Flight Instructor Paul Mosey said.
"Whenever you hear a plane go down, it hits close to home because it
does show the harsh reality of the business," MTSU Flight Instructor
Quincy Davis said.
Paris' family has searched the internet, and even Guyana newspapers,
looking for any answer to what happened.
"It relieves some frustration. It's like if your child's in a car wreck
you want to know the site of the crash and the car they were in, and all
the information about it," Paris' father said.
Christopher Paris is engaged to MTSU student Dara Hall. Their wedding is
set for December 27.
"She's about beat about it, but she's holding on," Michael Paris said.
He says he's also holding onto hope his son is still alive.
"I can't write off my son," Michael Paris said.
Christopher and Dara had their wedding shower planned for Saturday,
November 8th, but Michael Paris said that it has been postponed.