Plane crash anniversary brings new hope for recovery

JACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) - On a stormy afternoon in October, a small plane crashed into the Mississippi Sound, killing the three men aboard. One year later, the search continues for the remains of the victims. And despite the passage of time, the searchers may be getting close.

"In some ways, it feels like it was just yesterday, you know," said Tina Cook of Saucier, "And in some ways, feels like it's been forever."

Cook lost the love of her life on that fateful day. Her husband, Dexter Brewer, was a passenger on the plane which plunged into the Mississippi Sound.

Though significant pieces of the wreckage were found, the remains of the victims were never recovered.

"I'm just appreciative that we're still looking. That I still have help. That we have Mark and that he's not giving up. That the DMR and other people working with us have not given up," said Cook.

"This is the critical piece that I looked at," said Mark Michaud, as he pointed to a photograph of recovered wreckage. "You can see, there's your tail. It has the numbers on it."

Michaud is an underwater recovery expert who's been working with the family.

He is convinced the remaining portion of plane wreckage, along with the victims' remains, are located beneath the bottom of the sound, embedded in the mud at the spot where the plane went down; the same place the Coast Guard recovered a large tail piece.

"Maybe a piece of the starboard or right side of the cabin. Forward of the wing, and the engine. And of course, the remains. The bones of the three men that were onboard that aircraft," he said.

"We've done our homework and we think now that we have the information that we need to finally be able to bring Dexter home," said Cook, "And that's the goal of all this, to be able to bring him and the other two guys home."

Dexter Brewer's father is longing for some closure.

"Well, I hope so. I appreciate what everybody's been doing for it, you know," said Pettis Brewer.

"We're not going to go away, we're not going to back down. We're going to keep on going until we bring him home," said Tina Cook.

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