Guam - Search and rescue officials are searching for passengers who were on board a small commuter aircraft that crashed in the middle of Tinian Island.  U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam Chief of Response Lt. Commander Morgan Roper confirms the Coast Guard is searching for three of seven passengers from a Star Marianas plane that departed Tinian and did not arrive on Saipan as scheduled.  Six passengers and one pilot were on board.  

Communication with the plane was lost around 3 a.m. Sunday morning.  A command post has been established in Saipan at Puntan while officials search for three of the passengers.  Four have been confirmed to have survived.