Bodies of child, woman recovered, 1 missing after small plane crashes off Florida coast

Venice, Fla. – A small plane crashed off the west coast of Florida late Sunday morning.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane departed Venice Municipal Airport at approximately 11:35 a.m.

Two people were on board, officials said.

The Venice Police Department said the crash happened approximately 2.5 miles west of the Venice Fishing Pier.

The plane was a single-engine Piper PA-28, according to the FAA.

Police said it was located nearly a third of a mile off shore with the body of a juvenile in the passenger seat.

Recreational divers found a woman’s body around the time of the crash but it’s not clear if she was involved in the crash.

Authorities also believe that a male pilot was also in the plane during the flight but he has not been located in the wreckage.

Search efforts will continue as long as conditions allow, police said.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, and the NTSB will lead the investigation.


About the Authors:

Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer. In August 2015, she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter. Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio, television and film from DePaul University.

David Dwork joined the WPLG Local 10 News team in August 2019. Born and raised in Miami-Dade County, David has covered South Florida sports since 2007.