Coast Guard On Heightened Alert After Plane Lands On Cape May Beach; Pilot Seen Running Away

Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook Twitter

CAPE MAY N.J. (CBS) -- Aerial advertising company Paramount Air Service says one of their planes landed on a restricted beach near Coast Guard Training Center Cape May on Sunday night.

"After air operations were completed for the day of June 24th, 2018, a plane owned by Paramount Air Service was taken without authority of the management or ownership of Paramount Air Service. The plane landed on the beach in Cape May," said the company in a statement.

Witnesses captured the plane flying erratically. Samantha Haws posted a video to Facebook showing the moments before the plane touched down behind the Coast Guard Base around 8 p.m.

"My heart was pounding out of my chest, I really thought that he was going to crash into one of the houses. Everyone was almost ducking, like where was the plane going to go because of how fast it was going. It was doing like Os and Ss straight up in the air, straight down," said Haws.

Richard 'The Old Man' Harrison Of 'Pawn Stars' Dead At 77

According to the Coast Guard, after landing, the person flying the plane exited and ran off.

Paramount Air Service says they have no knowledge of the pilot's motivation for the incident or his whereabouts after the incident.

7-Eleven Store Owner In Critical Condition After Being Shot During Robbery 

Now, a search involving police, fire, and the Cape May Sheriff's Office is underway to find the missing pilot.

'Grow': Facebook Quietly Launches High-End 'Magazine'

Coast Guard officials have stepped up security at their training center while authorities search for that pilot.