A toddler was killed and the physique of a girl was discovered after the wreckage of a small airplane was found within the Gulf of Mexico, authorities confirmed Sunday. Crews have been nonetheless trying to find one other one who might have been the pilot.
On Sunday afternoon, the wreckage of a rented single-engine Piper Cherokee was discovered about one-third of a mile west offshore from the Venice Municipal Airport, the town of Venice, Florida, mentioned on Twitter.
“Just after 2 p.m., the missing Piper Cherokee was located. Divers from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office located a deceased juvenile within the plane’s passenger area,” the town mentioned.
The aircraft departed the Venice Municipal Airport at round 7:30 p.m. Saturday with three folks on board, the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned in an announcement. The investigation into the lacking aircraft started round 10 a.m. ET Sunday after the FAA requested the Venice Police Department to test with the Venice Municipal Airport as a result of the aircraft was overdue, authorities mentioned.
At across the identical time, the town of Venice mentioned, leisure boaters discovered the physique of a girl floating 2.5 miles west of Venice Beach. Authorities haven’t confirmed if that girl was one of many passengers.
Authorities imagine {that a} male pilot or passenger was additionally onboard the aircraft, however that particular person has not been situated.
“At this time, search efforts are continuing for a potential missing male occupant, the search effort will continue until sunset and resume as conditions allow,” the town of Venice mentioned.
The crash might be investigated by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board, with the NTSB main the investigation and offering extra updates, the FAA mentioned in an announcement.