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Venezuela looks for missing plane with Missoni CEO

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The search for a missing plane carrying Italian fashion executive Vittorio Missoni and five other people has entered its third straight day on Sunday with no signs of the aircraft.

Venezuela's National Civil Aviation Institute says search teams are using a plane and a helicopter and the Venezuelan coast guard to find the small plane, which disappeared off the country's coast.

The twin-engine plane was reported missing hours after taking off Friday from Los Roques, a string of islands and islets popular among tourists for their white beaches and coral reefs.

The plane was carrying the CEO of Italy's iconic Missoni fashion house, his wife, two Italian friends and two Venezuelan crew members.

Officials from Venezuela's civil aviation agency have said authorities declared an alert after the plane didn't make contact with the control tower at the Caracas airport or with the tower in Los Roques. Officials said the twin-engine craft took off at 11:39 a.m. Friday and had been expected to arrive in Caracas 42 minutes later.