Small plane crashes off Florida coast, kills Louisiana man

DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a small plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida Panhandle coast, killing a Louisiana man.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office says on social media that 63-year old Al Habetz’s twin engine eight-seat Cessna went down Tuesday night near Destin. Officials don’t think anyone else was onboard.

Officials began to search the water shortly after receiving reports about the crash. The sheriff’s office says the U.S. Coast Guard recovered Habetz’s body.

Habetz had reportedly flown into the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport earlier Tuesday and dropped off passengers. He was returning to Louisiana when the crash occurred.