A Florida plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday night and rescue teams found the bodies of a woman and a child who they believe were associated with the plane.
The single-engine Piper PA-28 crashed into the Gulf of Mexico after leaving Venice Municipal Airport in Florida around 7:30 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The accident happened about 2.5 miles west of the Venice Fishing Pier, according to the city of Venice.
Rescue teams search for the missing plane.
(City of Venice)
The FAA contacted the Venice Police Department after the plane never made it to its intended destination, the city said.
VPD confirmed Sunday afternoon that air assets found the plane’s wreckage approximately 1/3 mile west of the coast, directly west of the Venice Municipal Airport.
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Around the same time, the city of Venice said, recreational boaters located the body of a woman floating in the Gulf about 2.5 miles west of Venice Beach.
A helicopter scans the waters.
(WTVT)
Rescue teams found the wreckage of the helicopter on Sunday afternoon.
(WTVT)
The bodies of a woman and a child have been found, rescue officials say.
(WTVT)
Later Sunday afternoon, divers from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office located a deceased child inside the passenger area of the plane. A male pilot or passenger is believed to have been on the plane but has not been found, the city said.
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The cause of the accident is unclear at this time. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating in coordination with the Venice Police, Venice Fire Department, Venice Airport Director, US Coast Guard, Office of the Sarasota County Sheriff, FWC and the Sarasota Police Department.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
