Update: The U.S. Coast Guard said late Saturday night they have suspended their search for a downed aircraft that crashed into the waters off the coast of Jacksonville.
The Coast Guard said multiple agencies assisted in the effort to find the plane, covering nearly 1400 square miles in the span of 56 hours.
According to the Coast Guard, the names of the passengers are being withheld until next of kin notification has been completed.
The Coast Guard said they will continue to monitor for new information that could aid in the recovery of the plane and ask that anyone with information contact first responders.
Update: The FAA confirmed two people were on board the plane when it crashed.
The U.S. Coast Guard searched on the water and in the air throughout the day Thursday for those two people. The plane went down in the height of today's storms near the St. Johns River Inlet.
Officials will be searching by boat throughout the night for the individuals. At this time no plane wreckage or bodies have been found.
Update: FAA says two people were on board. Working to find out if they are ok.
— Amber Krycka (@AmberANjax) December 20, 2018
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are working to determine the cause of the crash.
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating after receiving information Thursday regarding a "general aviation" single-engine plane crash, according to Sheriff Chuck Mulligan of the St. Johns Sheriff's Office.
The Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the Piper PA-46 plane before it crashed into the water near Ponte Vedra Beach shortly after 9 a.m.
This is about seven miles off the coast of Mickler Beach, authorities said.
The U.S. Navy helicopter is currently flying over the area.
St. Johns Fire and Rescue is also assisting.
Action News Jax has learned the plane is privately owned.
The FAA is not aware of how many passengers were on board and is currently investigating.
Meteorologist Garrett Bedenbaugh said winds were approximately 40 miles per hour in that area at the time.
Here is radar from 9:20 AM this morning. FAA lost contact with a single-engine plane this morning. Winds at radar beam level (2 K feet) were approx. 40 mph. @WOKVNews @ActionNewsJax #FirstAlertWX pic.twitter.com/wHpnddkCp3
— Garrett Bedenbaugh (@wxgarrett) December 20, 2018
Action News Jax has a crew headed to the scene.
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