Frankfurt  - Rescuers resumed searching Saturday for a Lufthansa training plane that disappeared over the Adriatic Sea the previous day after taking off from Croatia, a Lufthansa unit said.

The twin-engined PA 44 vanished Friday with a flying instructor and a trainee on board. It was operated by InterCockpit, a Lufthansa subsidiary that trains pilots who go on to work for several European airlines. Light planes are used for part of the practical training.

An InterCockpit spokeswoman said the search was suspended during the hours of darkness and resumed when day broke.

There was no evidence as yet as to what happened to the plane. It vanished from radar screens at 12:33 pm (1033 GMT) Friday, about 40 kilometres west of Zadar, Croatia, while at an altitude of 550 metres. (dpa)