Body believed to belong to pilot of disappeared aircraft found along Veracruz coast

The lifeless body of a man in a pilot's uniform was found early morning on the Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz beach and is believed to belong to one of the crew members of the Cessna 210 aircraft that disappeared after departing from the Mérida airport last week.

Civil Protection authorities confirmed that the corresponding autopsy will be performed to identify the man and know the exact cause of death.

They also said they were unable to confirm if the man was a crew member, but he was found wearing a pilot's uniform, which leads investigators to speculate that it does in fact belong to someone on board the plane.

Authorities implemented a seven mile search-area from where the body was found to found the other victims on board the plane.

On December 20, the plane owned by the company Promessa departed from the Mérida airport and was reported as missing a few hours later.

Traveling on the aircraft were the pilot Rodolfo García, the copilot Jorge Torres, Javier Caballero Rodriguez, a company employee, and Trinidad Aldama.

Federal and state authorities have implemented a search effort for the aircraft as of last week, which is believed to have crashed into the sea.