Venice, FL - The bodies of a woman and child were found after a single-engine plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft departed the Venice Municipal Airport around 7:30 p.m. Saturday before crashing into the gulf a short time later.
Authorities began investigating early Sunday after the plane failed to return to St. Petersburg.
The plane, a rented Piper Cherokee, was later found about 1/3 of a mile into the ocean.
The FAA says three people were believed to be on board at the time of the crash.
The Venice Police Department identified the occupants as a child, who divers found dead inside of the plane, and a man who is missing.
Recreational divers also found a dead woman floating in the water near the scene. Police believe she was a passenger in the plane.
Venice police are continuing search efforts for the missing man.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Sarasota Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office are assisting in the investigation.