According to a Cardiff publication, WalesOnline, for over three days three planes, five helicopters and two lifeboats searched for a combined 80 hours for the missing aircraft that conveyed Emiliano Sala from Nantes to Cardiff.

On Tuesday morning the eyes of the world turned to the English Channel as news broke that a plane had disappeared over the ocean after radar contact was lost off the coast of Alderney.

By the time Argentine striker Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson were confirmed to be the two people on board, search teams had already been mobilised and searching for hours.

As pressure mounted and time wore on, efforts were renewed as volunteers took to the air and seas again and again.

Now, after the difficult decision was taken to end the search, those involved have spoken to us about what it was like being inside the desperate centre of unfolding tragedy.

Run entirely by volunteers, the Channel Islands Air Search operates in an area “notorious” for strong tides, changeable weather, large seas and submerged reefs.

Many who dedicate their time to help are serving airline pilots, who, in their spare time, will take to the air to help coast guards in the Channel Islands as well as off the French and English coasts.

On Monday night the team scrambled to their hangar at Guernsey Airport within half an hour of being notified that the aircraft has disappeared.

John Fitzgerald, chief officer at Channel Islands Air search, said: “This has to be the largest search we have assisted with.

“We were certainly on scene very quickly, about 30 minutes from when it was notified that the aircraft had disappeared.

“We have worked in looking for other aircraft and have found the position of them relatively quickly, but every circumstance is different with each search.

“If there were things to find then they would have been found by now.”

As the first hours of the search wore on, conditions worsened.

On Monday night lifeboats from Peter Port and Alderney were mobilised along with two Coastguard helicopters to search an area based on the aircraft’s likely location.

But with strengthening winds, worsening sea conditions and reduced visibility, the decision was taken at 2am to return to shore and resume six hours later –  this time with two helicopters, two planes and one lifeboat.

John said: “We are tasked by the search agency responsible for the incident, in this case the Guernsey Coastguard. 

“[In a search like this] the adrenaline runs fast, the crew are very aware of the situation and are eager to go, so we have to slow them down a little so that they can understand the situation before we get airborne.

“Each search team always hopes to be the one that finds what we are looking for.”

By the end of Tuesday afternoon, 1,155 square miles had been searched.

After a 15-hour operation a number of floating objects were seen in the water, but search teams were unable to confirm whether they were from the missing aircraft.

Speaking at the time, the air search officer described the chance of finding survivors as “more and more unlikely”.

John said: “Apart from looking for the main items, aircraft, people, life rafts, we also look for what you don’t expect to find.

“The plastic problem in the sea these days does cause issues in that respect, there is so much of it in the sea that we have to spend time examining and probably discounting.”

He added: “As the flights were mainly in the daytime, the searches were visual. Technology is good, but the human eye is usually much better.

“The sea has generally been moderate to rough with white breaking waves that don’t help a visual search. The wind has gusted up to 42 knots, there have been wintery showers, but the visibility has remained good.”

In total, nine flights were carried out by the Channel Islands Air Search – each ranging between two and three and a half hours in length in between crew changes and refuels. 

As day two of the search began, Guernsey Harbour Master Captain David Barker told the world’s media that the search had narrowed to four possibilities.

This included theories that the men had landed but not made contact, landed on water and were picked up by a passing ship, landed on water and made it on to a life raft on board, or that the aircraft had broken up, leaving the pair in the sea.

While planes continued the search by air, it fell to the work of the RNLI and Guernsey Coastguards to check the area by boat – taking on strenuous 10-hour shifts at a time.

Re-established in 1984, the Alderney Lifeboat Station now houses equipment for its 20-strong volunteer crew along with their all weather lifeboat, Roy Barker 1.

“The conditions have been quite demanding. When carrying out the search the majority of the crew were positioned outside on the upper helm position, which totally exposes them to the elements,”  Mark Gaudion, Alderney RNLI deputy second coxswain, said.

“On this particular search we were exposed to rough see conditions, and 1.5m swells, heavy hail showers and squalls.

“Searching at night is very taxing as the only lighting is from the search lights on the lifeboat, which limits your visual range.”

By Wednesday afternoon a further 280 square miles had been targeted using search teams from the Channel Islands, France and UK.

For some, the operations came alongside full-time jobs and family commitments as dedicated volunteers returned to the water.

Mark said: “There were several crew changes during the three days of searching.

“This involved long shifts of up to 10 hours with some crews spending longer at sea over the three days.

“Crew members would not be able to carry out their voluntary roles without the support and understanding of their families and employees.

“Sometimes, like on this occasion, it can be very intense, but as crew members of the RNLI, we know that this is what we sign up for.”

As Thursday dawned rescuers turned their attention to a coastal search of Burhou, the Casquets, Alderney, the north coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula, north coast of Jersey and then back over Sark.

In particular, attention was turned to Burhou Island – a small, uninhabited island about 1.4 miles northwest of Alderney.

It followed after fans began to share pictures of what they believe could be distress flares coming from the direction the piece of land. 

However, despite a search on foot, no trace of the aircraft or those on board has been found.

At 3.15pm on Thursday afternoon a final statement was issued from Harbour Master Captain David Barker.

Despite the efforts from everyone involved, the final aircraft searching for the missing plane was returned.

After 24 hours of continuous searching, and 80 hours of combined flying time across three planes, five helicopters and two lifeboats, the call was made to stop actively searching for the plane.

He said: “My team have just met to review the search and rescue operation which has been underway since the plane disappeared on Monday night.

“We reviewed all the information available to us, as well as knowing what emergency equipment was on board, and have taken the difficult decision to end the search.

“Next of kin have been informed of this development, and my thoughts go out to the family of the pilot and passenger at this most difficult of times.

“This has been a very thorough and extensive search, co-ordinated from the Guernsey-based Joint Emergency Services Control Centre and has seen exemplary co-operation from all countries involved, for which I would like to extend my personal thanks.

“The final aircraft searching for the missing plane and those on board has now landed.

“Although we are no longer actively searching, the incident remains open and we will be broadcasting to all vessels and aircraft in the area to keep a look out for any trace of the aircraft. This will continue indefinitely.”

For those involved, it is not a decision taken lightly.

To support each other, members of the Channel Island Air Search team will gather in a few days time to discuss the events of the last week.

John said: “This is the longest search and with the profile, one of the most watched. 

“We are getting together in a few days to discuss the flights, the media, our families and how it has affected us all.

“The families and the employers have been very supportive and I thank them all sincerely.”

Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, Emiliano Sala’s sister Romina broke down in tears as she urged authorities to continue the search.

Getting visibly emotional, she said: “Emiliano is a great fighter – I know he hasn’t given up and he is waiting for us.”

Since then, her family have announced plans to organise a private search for the footballer and Mr Ibbotson, a 59-year-old father of three.

It comes after a petition calling for the search to resume hit 50,000 signatures.

Sala’s French club Nantes, which he played for up until last week, said on Thursday: “FC Nantes learned that the search for the aircraft was definitively suspended. This should not be the case: the search must continue.”

In the hours since the search was called to an end, tributes have continued to pour out for Mr Ibbotson and the newly-signed Cardiff City player.

Bluebirds fans have been leaving tributes at the foot of the Fred Keenor statue outside the Cardiff City stadium since news of Sala’s disappearance broke.

And they have now unfurled an banner that reads: “We never saw you play and never saw you score, but Emiliano our beautiful Bluebird we will love you forever more.”