Montana biz journalist among those missing

A Montana business journalist was one of four people on an airplane that took off on Sunday and did not return, reports the Associated Press.

Erika Hoefer, 27, is a business reporter for the Daily Inter Lake newspaper who also writes for the Flathead Business Journal. She is from Beloit, Wis.

The AP story states, “Rick Weaver, publisher of the Daily Inter Lake, said the reporters were going on a sightseeing trip to Glacier National Park about 30 miles northeast of Kalispell.

“‘They were on their day off and just having fun,’ said Weaver, who is not related to Melissa Weaver. ‘We’re just hoping for the absolute best. We hope that they’re found, and everybody’s OK.’

“Sheriff Mike Meehan told the newspaper that investigators believe the group was in the area of the park, but that was not confirmed.

“Hoefer last updated her Facebook page about 10 minutes after taking off with a message reading, ‘We’re flying to the park and we’re later going to a barbecue,’ Meehan said.”

Read more here.