A MISSING aircraft which sparked a major rescue operation involving a Suffolk crew has landed safely in Switzerland, it has emerged.

A MISSING aircraft which sparked a major rescue operation involving a Suffolk crew has landed safely in Switzerland, it has emerged.

The search operation was launched after a two-seater fixed-wing plane set off from Cambridge yesterday morning but did not land at Lydd Airport, Kent as expected.

A Sea King helicopter from RAF Wattisham and a Coastguard aircraft spent seven hours looking for the missing aircraft, which was believed to be carrying just the pilot, however after failing to find any signs of wreckage, the search was called off last night.

But a spokesman for RAF Kinloss - which was leading the search - today said that the pilot landed in Switzerland without telling anyone.

A coastguard spokesman added that the pilot, a European national with a Swiss address, changed his route because of weather conditions.

A Dover Coastguard spokesman added: "We were told this morning he has been found safe and well in Switzerland. We understand he changed his route due to the weather.''