Plane crash victim identified

TAMPA - A Tampa company confirms that a long-time employee was onboard a plane that crashed into the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday.

McNichols company officials say Mysela "Mike" Parks, who was with the company for more than 10 years, was a passenger on the Cessna that disappeared from radar Wednesday.

Coast Guard officials went on a search and rescue mission, and found a debris field about 20 miles west of Port Richey.

They said they discovered fragments of human remains that will undergo DNA testing to confirm the identities.

McNichols company confirmed that the Cessna was a company plane on a business trip from Texas to Florida.

"Today is a very sad day for our company," says McNichols President Herb Goetschius in a media release. "Mike has been an exemplary employee for more than a decade, and he was well-liked by all the staff here at McNichols. This is a tragedy that will be felt by Mike's loving family and friends and his close-knit family here at McNichols forever."