Authorities are working to determine what exactly happened to Forrest and Donna Sanco while en route to Rum Cay on September 26, one day after the pair flew their private aircraft from Houston, Texas; through Florida and then Freeport, Grand Bahama where the couple reportedly cleared customs and spent the night. The couple, both 56, who went to high school together, reconnected a year ago on Facebook and instantly knew they were meant to be. Their last known location was in Freeport, Bahamas, and Sanco’s last post to Instagram was on Sept. 26. “We found out they cleared customs in Freeport on the 26th and we were able to find fuel receipts in North Eleuthera,” she says, “but after that, we can’t track them anywhere.” 
 
 “We were able to find a couple local guys with airplanes who have basically been conducting searches for us,” says Burger, who says that due to lack of resources with the Bahamian government and coast guard, the family has had to hire their own private search crews and pilots. The Tribune understands it was at this time reports of the missing couple were disseminated to the United States Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). United States Coast Guard has stressed the RBDF is leading all efforts on the matter, according to the Bahamas Tribune. This has been costly and could continue to be as we need to search until we find something.
– Family got worried when Forrest Sanco didn't come to pick up his cat. Their worry grew when they learned he hadn't shown up to work. They reported Sanco and his girlfriend, Donna Grant, missing Oct. 6—10 days after the couple had flown to the Bahamas on a private plane to elope, People reports. "They had lots of plans and lots to look forward to," Grant's daughter-in-law, Erin Simmons, tells WFAA. Sanco and Grant, of Forth Worth, Texas, went to high school together and fell in love after reconnecting on Facebook last year. Sanco, who had a pilot's license, flew the couple to the Bahamas for a vacation and to get married, arriving in Freeport on Sept. 26. Sanco's last Instagram post shows a Bahamas sunrise. It's the final message family and friends received from the couple. After spending the night in Freeport, Sanco and Grant were supposed to fly on to Rum Cay, where they had rented a house, the Bahamas Tribune reports. Simmons says they made a planned stop on the island of North Eleuthera, where they purchased fuel, and departed for the 121-mile flight to Rum Cay. The owner of their rental house in Rum Cay says they never arrived. Weather reports had called for storms, and Sanco's plane had received unspecified repairs during the trip. Family hadn't expected to hear much from the couple during their vacation and didn't report them missing until they failed to return home. "We're trying to remain hopeful, but we're also realistic," Sanco's niece, Lee-Ann Burger, tells People. "I think at this point we're searching for answers." She says the family has hired private search crews to look for the couple.