Part 53, page 86
Document date 24 March 1972
FBI 164-81, Vault Part 53 p. 86 (DB Cooper-22424), News clipping, dated 24 Mar 1972 — cooper.theunsolved.net/parts/Cooper-Part-53/pages/86
Transcript
The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.
Nobody Will Say So, But FBI Apparently Thinks Skyjacker Is Near Lake Merlin
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ARMY MAJOR DIRECTED TROOPS Had map showing search area
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you'd run the other way." [guess: Another] rumor was that a man chopping wood just below Merwin Dam had found one of the missing bills. And still another had
one of the "Cooper" 20s turning up in Woodland. Milnes denied that any trace of the money has been found. Besides, he said, "You know we don't comment on that." Individual soldiers in- volved in the search said they were looking for a bundle of money, a para- chute or a body. Milnes would give no reason for the timing of the new search effort. He did say that when he visited the area three weeks ago there was still snow on the ground. That would make it especially difficult to spot a parachute. From the conduct of the search, it appears that au- thorities believe "Cooper" did not survive his 10,000- foot leap from the rear exit of the jetliner. Experienced sport chu- tists said, however, that it could be done. The 727, in fact, is considered the only commercial jetliner from which such a jump could be made. Crew members of the plane, which was hijacked on a flight from Portland to Seattle, said Cooper seemed to know about the 727's capabilities. He ordered the plane flown at 200 miles per hour and 10,000 feet — very slow and very low for a jet. When the plane landed in Reno, "Cooper" was gone, as were two of four para- chutes supplied to him by authorities.
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J. EARL MILNES 6 FBI director
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The pilot of the plane said he detected a slight change in the craft's atti- tude as it flew over the area of Cowlitz and Clark counties on a standard Se- attle-to-Reno pattern. And it is in that area that the search will contin- ue. Neither Milnes nor the Army would say for how long. Somewhere in the beauti- ful Lewis River country, they hope to find the earth- ly remains of the man who called himself "D. B. Coop- er." Scouring almost every inch of ground, they may find some trace of the dar- ing hijacker. That is, unless some treasure hunter stumble[d] across the money first [guess: and] gave "D. B. Cooper" a "de- cent burial."
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DB Cooper-22424