San Francisco - The search for adventurer and explorer Steve Fossett was expanded Thursday, four days after his light plane went missing over the high desert of Nevada as he looked for a site to make an attempt on the world land speed record. "The search area has expanded to an area of in excess of 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometres)," said Major Cynthia Ryan, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Civil Air Patrol, which is coordinating the massive search operation. "As you can imagine, trying to make a needle stand out in a haystack that big is going to be a real challenge."
Fossett, 63, was last seen Monday evening as he took off from Yerington, Nevada. He is believed to have been carrying food and water.
Members of the US National Guard and helicopters with thermal imaging technology have joined the operation, officials said in a televised news conference.
Ryan told reporters that the search for the swashbuckling securities magnate could take up to two weeks.
"If anyone has to be lost out there, this man has the skills to survive," Ryan said. "With water, he could live out there for two weeks."
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, who earlier had voiced confidence that Fossett was waiting by his plane to be picked up, said the lack of news was worrying.
"If the worst comes to the worst ... Steve's lived his life to the full, and he hasn't wasted a minute of his life," he told the BBC.
Fossett has broken numerous world records for ballooning, speed sailing and flying, including being the first person to fly a balloon around the world solo in 2002. In March 2005, he became the first person to fly a plane solo around the world without refuelling.
In total, he has set 116 records in five different sports, more than 60 of which remain unbroken.
