Click on this link to view the news piece that Kristen Johnson did about the search for Bob Norton and the others. This aired on local CBS Ch12, Chattanooga, TN. Bob...
Update by Bob Edwards: Since I returned from Venezuela on September 13 where we searched more of Zone D, Celso and several others have returned to the search effort in the Infierno Zone. This area was identified by the Brazilian eyewitness and 3 others as a area where they saw a plane fly over the morning of February 16 that appeared to be having trouble. We are tracking progress of the search effort with the SPOT GPS transponder and by the waypoints marked by the handheld GPS that Celso takes with him. All of the data is then entered into the search plan. Step by step we are covering the areas that the search team believe to be the highest priority zones. While in the initial search of Infierno, Celso found that there are two grass runways there. On his next search in this zone, Celso and his search team will be attempting to find and go to these two grass runways to investigate them and the local area around them. It would make sense that Bob would have attempted to reach one of these grass strips if indeed he was flying through this area and had problems with the plane. There will be a local news update on the search effort from Chattanooga's CBS Channel 12 and we are working on a longer video update that will be posted on Youtube as soon as it is ready. I will send links by email and post on Facebook as soon as these are available. Tim de la Torre is beginning work on the trailer for the documentary as well....
Dear AMA family, Just a note to inform you that Celso, accompanied by a few other men, made a trip and searched for several days in an area between Karum and Santa Elena. With the added witnesses' information of a plane being seen which seemed to be having difficulties that Monday morning long ago this is the current search area. However, nothing was found and they returned, since Celso being ill with malaria could not continue. Every time a search ends in finding nothing it is disappointing most of all to those searching. All of us want to know what happened, and although we go forward with our lives the missing plane and search is on our minds. While in Venezuela a few weeks ago Bob Edwards took a number of video clips of his time there and the time he spent in the jungle following a heading where they hoped to find the missing plane. He also did several interviews relative to the search and with friends of Bob's. A documentary film is in the talking stages, and perhaps will become a reality, which will share the mission aviation life of Bob Norton and the search. Friday afternoon I sat and watched some of these movies and "lived" a small bit of what my brother's life meant and the energy being spent to find him and the others. Nothing touched me more than Celso sharing from his heart to whoever would hear his words. He spoke of faith and of love's ties as brothers he and Bob shared. He wants to see the seed Bob and Neiba planted...
Dear AMA Family, Bob Edwards spent over a week in Venezuela dedicating time to the continued search. Below is a summary of his trip in relation to the search. I sincerely appreciate all he has done and continues to do to find Bob and the others. This appreciation also goes to his wife, Lisa, for her support of him and sharing so much of his time with this effort. To Celso and his wife Rosa I owe more than words can say as they give so much for this cause. Because of the efforts of these dedicated people I pray that God will use them and this whole tragedy and search to advance His kingdom. My desire is that in heaven we, the AMA family, can see the results of our labors and loss and be satisfied. God is at work. Thank you each one for your continued prayers and support. At the end of this letter is the Outpost Center's address where donations can be sent for the search or repair of the airplane. Remember to enclose a separate note stating what project the money is for. God bless you, Barbara Norton Kay Jungle search work update: Zone D - We were able to locate and mark the location of the helicopter position where they received a transmission on the emergency broadcast channel 121.5 Mhz three days after the plane went missing. We then pressed out on the designated heading of 270 which is what was captured on the directional finder on the helo. The jungle terrain is very difficult to navigate through and the handheld GPS often...
Dear AMA family, Thanks to each of you who have contributed in some way to the AMA project and search. In way of information there are two families, Celso's and another couple who Bob and Neiba had been giving $250 each a month as a stipend. Celso did the flight scheduling and took care of all the radio communication and flight following. Presently he is still involved in the search but has not been able to find another job. Danny is keeping up the grounds and the airstrip mowed--all with a push mower as the riding one was in need of repairs. Irdene (my husband) had gotten the parts and they'd been sent down, but Bob had not received them yet. So, if you feel led to continue helping the AMA project please send donations for these families to: Gospel Ministries International P O Box 506 Collegedale, TN 37315 Please include a separate note stating the money is for AMA Venezuela. These families are dedicated to continuing the mission work. Bob Edwards is presently in Venezuela and has had meetings with people at the US embassy, those coordinating the search from Civil Protection, and Celso. Hopefully they can get a pilot and plane to take him, Celso, Dr. Pedro, and others out to Karum to spend some days searching in the jungle where it has been determined the highest probability zone. It is merely an educated guess. Again I have to say, only God knows and we continue to trust Him. I asked Mr. Edwards when they were going to quit searching and his answer was, "We will continue...
Dear AMA Family, Just wanted to touch base with you folks regarding the search. Presently behind the scene plans are being laid to continue searching, starting with zone D. Those in charge are trying to maximize the funds given for the search. Bob Edwards plans to go down in September to participate in the search with Celso and CP people, and he plans to do some videoing out in the jungle for a DVD regarding the search. Presently my mother is in Venezuela, accompanying friends who are visiting there, so remember her in prayer. There are business things she needed to take care of and people with whom she wanted to talk. I am putting together a memory letter with pictures of Bob and Neiba to share with the AMA family. If any of you wish to share what your friendship with them means, how you met, a memory you have of visiting with them, please send it now to this email address: amaavion {at} gmail(.)com. God is ever in control and I am encouraged by those who want to continue the work for the Indian people of Venezuela and continue to search for the missing plane as long as God opens doors. If you wish to contribute funds for the search a fund has been set up at Outpost Centers. Send a separate paper on which you write that the donation is for Norton Search. Thanks for your continued prayers for this venture and all the families who still grieve their lost loved ones. Clinging to the Blessed Hope and Jesus soon return, Barbara Kay (Bob's sister) Outpost...
NORTON SEARCH DOCUMENTARY FILM PROJECT By Bob Edwards Prepared: August 6, 2009 On February 16, 2009 at approximately 7:45 AM my close friend Captain Robert “Bob” Norton, his wife and 5 others went missing in the jungles of Venezuela. Bob has been serving there as a missionary pilot to the Indigenous Indians for the past 8 years and was on a emergency medical flight from Karum to Bethel in his plane. The Venezuelan Civil Protection and the Indigenous Indians immediately began searching for them in the dense jungle.. As they began their physical search there, we pulled together a team consisting of engineers, pilots, medical professionals, search experts and computer analysts here in the U.S. We contacted GeoEYE and Digital Globe to get current satellite images of the areas where we believed the plane went down. We also began working with an organization that specializes in finding missing aircraft called Missing Aircraft Search Team (M.A.S.T.). Together we developed a search plan with a prioritized, zone by zone, analysis of where the plane might have gone down. It has been more than 5 months and we continue to work together to try to find the missing plane and it’s occupants. We have also sent down pieces of technology (i.e. GPS Transponder, GPS Tracker, and a digital camera) for the Venezuelan ground search team to assist with the search effort. At this point in the search, we have decided to produce a documentary about the search effort and about the work that Captain Norton was doing. We are doing this to raise awareness about the search and to help keep the...
As the search continues: We have relatively new intel from a Brazilian man who was near Maurak at a gold mine the morning the plane went missing. He claims he saw the plane fly over around 9:00 am, which would allign with a scenario that Bob had problems and was headed back to home base in Maurak or Santa Elena. The Brazilian gave some details about where he was and where he saw the plane go over. He said it appeared to be having trouble and the engine was not running. He claims that he told some of the leaders from the Maurak area shortly after the plane went missing about this, but this is new intel for us and the Civil Protection. We are not sure how accurate this data is, however, Celso and his team are headed to the area to check it out. It is fairly close to Maurak and a long ways away from the current search zones, however, it can be searched with little resources and therefore will be checked out before they head back to the deep jungle search areas in August. Our meeting a couple of weekends ago with Dr. Garcia and Andrehina Diaz in Texas was very beneficial. They continue to support in anyway possible. They carried supplies back to help with the ground search effort. We sent some financial help down to Celso to pay for the expenses incurred so far. He was very appreciative. He also now has a hand held GPS, a SPOT GPS transponder and a waterproof digital camera to help document the search efforts. Nytta Norton...
Sunday, May 24, aof pilots, computer techs, analysts, and engineers gathered at Cloudland Canyon State park in Georgia for a strategic summit meeting regarding the Norton search. As team leader Bob Edwards organized and arranged this meeting for the purpose of determining the primary and secondary search zones. Rick and Debbie Slatten drove down from Minnesota bringing a tremendous set of skills to the search effort. They are with M.A.S.T. and specialize in finding missing aircraft. Rick lead the team in analyzing the information presented to decide which area is the most probable place the airplane went down. Two persons involved with the search came up from Venezuela and brought to the discussion table the facts, both from the search and information gleaned from questioning those who supposedly heard or saw the airplane as well as the last people who spoke with Bob—Celso and the nurse at Karum. (Below: Bob Edwards is ready to start the meeting.) Their report contained the following facts. February 16 the government organization for search and rescue received the report that this Cessna 182 tail #YV2480 flown by Capitan Roberto Norton with 6 other passengers was missing. That very day they begin gathering information but could not fly to the area due to low hanging clouds and restricted visibility. However, the following day they began searching by air and also by ground between Karum and Betel according to the report given them by Celso concerning Bob’s planned flight. The government law stipulates that they look for 8 days, but in the case where there is the possibility people are alive this can be extended,...
Nearly eight years ago, at the request of 30 village captains and ADRA/Venezuela, my wife Becky and I began praying for a pilot that could replace us in Guyana so we could move to Venezuela to open up the medical aviation work there. When Gary and Wendy Roberts were lead of God to take up the work in Guyana, we made the move across. God provided a beautiful small Cessna 172 and I also carried responsibilities as Associate Director of Communication and ADRA for the Union. We called the program AMA (Aviación Médico Adventista - Adventist Medical Aviation), which means “Love” in Spanish. With the expanding worldwide work, it became rapidly clear that I would be unable to carry the daily load that a medical aviation program required. That is when I ran into Bob Norton in Collegedale airport. I hadn’t seen him for years and discovered that he was finishing his aviation training and had just married a Venezuelan nurse. Suddenly I began to see what God was doing. He had already started putting together a perfect solution for the need in Venezuela. Bob and Neiba accepted the position with somewhat trembling knees as they had not considered leaving everything in order to work as volunteers. Many of their friends counseled against such a move. However, they felt God’s calling and made their choice. It was to leave everything behind and trust God with the future. That choice was to affect the lives of thousands of native Amerindians living in the beautiful but isolated jungles of Southeast Venezuela. Though the Cessna 172 had an upgraded engine put in,...
