The search for a missing UF alumnus and his friend whose plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday night was called off Tuesday.
Zachary Schlitt, 28, who graduated from UF in 2004 with a degree in building construction, and Darien Peckham, 35, were flying from Tallahassee to Tampa when their plane dropped off the radar and crashed into the Gulf at about 6:45 p.m., according to a U.S. Coast Guard news release.
The men were returning from Saturday's UF-FSU football game.
Thunderstorms were occurring in the area at the time of the crash, the release stated.
Crews searched for more than 40 hours and covered a 2,800 square-mile area starting Sunday night, but they called off the search at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday.
Debris from the plane were found, including a seat and a flight bag containing aviation headphones, according to the report.
Both men were licensed pilots, according to news reports. It was unclear who was flying the plane at the time of the accident, authorities said.
The plane is registered to Eagle Squadron Inc., a flying club in Tampa. The plane was a 45-year-old Beechcraft 35-B33 Debonair fixed wing single-engine aircraft, according to FAA records.
Schlitt, who lived in West Palm Beach, was a real estate acquisitions manager at Boos Development Group. He identified real estate for the company to purchase and develop, said Rob Boos, president of the company.
Boos said Schlitt, who was promoted in July, was dedicated to his job and his family.
"He was full of life and always had a smile on his face," Boos said.
Boos said he last talked to Schlitt on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and said Schlitt was excited to watch the Gators play the Seminoles on Saturday.
Patrick Nutt, who was a close friend of Schlitt's and pledged the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity with him in fall 1999, said Schlitt loved the outdoors.
Schlitt, who grew up in Memphis, loved to fly, work out, hunt and fish, Nutt said.
"As a friend, I can't speak highly enough of him," Nutt said. "He was incredibly loyal, always honest, truly a great man."
Schlitt's family has made memorial service arrangements for Tuesday night in Tampa, Nutt said.
