Items belonging to missing Fossett found in US

Hikers in northern California have found clothing and personal items belonging to millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, who went…

Hikers in northern California have found clothing and personal items belonging to millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, who went missing a year ago, police said today.

"Three different forms of (Fossett's) ID were found," Mammoth Lakes Police spokeswoman Renee Placensia said.

She said no other details were immediately available but authorities were forming air and ground search crews.

Mammoth Lakes Police Chief Randy Schienle told CNN that a sweatshirt and other identification had been found by hikers in the area.

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Mr Fossett (63), vanished in his airplane after taking off in the Nevada desert in September 2007. Despite weeks of extensive land and air searches, no wreckage was found and he was declared legally dead in February 2008 after investigators concluded that his airplane was destroyed in a fatal accident.

Mammoth Lakes is near the border with Nevada and Schienle said that snow and animals may have dispersed or covered the belongings until now.

Mr Fossett held several aviation and sailing records, becoming the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world in 2002.

He disappeared after setting off from western Nevada on September 3rd in a single-engine plane for what friends said was a casual pleasure flight.

Reuters