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Daniel Dal Zennaro / EPA file
Italian fashion executive Vittorio Missoni, son of Italian fashion designer Ottavio Missoni, is missing after a plane disappeared off the coast of Venezuela.
Missoni, 58, is the director general of the iconic brand and the eldest son of the company's founder. Flying with him on Friday's flight from Venezuela's Los Roques resort archipelago to Caracas, was Missoni's wife, Maurizia Castiglioni, two Italian friends of the couple, and a crew of two Venezuelans.
Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that family patriarch Ottavio Missoni, 91, and his wife, Rosita, were at their home in Italy, along with their daughter, Angela, the chief fashion designer and sister of Vittorio Missoni, waiting for information about the search. Italian news reports said the third Missoni sibling, Luca, had flown to Venezuela.
"We have no other news" beyond that the plane went missing, Paolo Marchetti, a Missoni official told reporters as he left company headquarters in the northern Italian town of Sumirago on Saturday afternoon.
Missoni, with its trademark zigzag and other geometric patterns in sweaters, scarves and other knitwear, is one of Italy's most famous fashion brands abroad. Vittorio Missoni played a key role in marketing the Missoni family creations in Asia, especially in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, and he took on the title of general director of marketing of Missoni SpA. He also is responsible for the company's products in the United States and France.
His elderly parents still play an active role in the family.
On Friday, Venezuela's Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the plane was declared missing hours after taking off from Los Roques, a string of islands, cays and islets that is popular for scuba diving, white beaches and coral reefs, where the Missonis and their friends were on vacation.
Revero said the plane had been expected at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas but never arrived.
A first day of searching on Friday yielded nothing.
As the search resumed Saturday, the Italian news agency ANSA, reporting from Rome, said a specialized ocean-searching naval vessel was being deployed.
The Missoni brand is scheduled to display its latest menswear creations on the Milan runways in fashion show later this month.
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I hope they find this plane and everyone is alright. Whether rich or not, it is always frightening to have a loved one on a plane that goes missing. This is a sobering reminder, that life is precious and we need to appreciate our loved ones, friends, those we have in our lives, each and every day. For we know not, but fate may step in on some random day, and we have one we hold most beloved, snatched away.None reaches old age who does not lose someone dear and close. So live well and love deep. Prayers for all those involved that things will turn well.
Another journalistic outcry for punishment! Yup, his plane disappeared which certainly, considering he was on it, makes him missing. WOW!!!
I hope they find everyone, alive and well......it can happen, and sometimes it does, and I pray for the family it happens, and as soon as possible! May the Lord look over you and all that you love as well!
Marianna: WHY has the normally annoying drop-down button on the lower right missing when I really want to report your post as 'advertising'? GET A LIFE.
That was lovely....I thought the same thing!
I guess I'll be the first to blame the republicans/Obama/Bush/democrats/handguns etc. Every comment section is turned into a political free for all. I've been saying for years we need to get along. Society is going down the tubes.
Windancersong must either be Native American or respectful of them. That was a lovely comment.
I hope it was painless.
Usually painful.
This is a SECOND DISAPPEARANCE of a small plane in the same place. The last diappearance happened January 4,2008 with Tranaven co. where 8 Italians,1 Swiss, 1 pilot,1 copilot and 3 others disappeared without a trace- the plane was never found- they found the dead co-pilot's corpse later- no sightings from the others. Vittorio and his wife Maurizia and family friends were on vacation in Venezuela. Their airplane is a small type Norman BN2. Venezuela is a country in a turmoil right now- and flying in small planes is taking undue chances (whether maintenance-wise or being subjected to kidnapping). For the sake of the famiglia- wishing for a good outcome.
Yes. I must add that those small planes are most sought by the drug cartels, who use to kill the passengers and the crew to steal them. I'd add as well that the found pilot of the plane that disappeared one year ago, had no apparent wounds and no water in his lungs, like he was smothered and thrown in the ocean to support the idea of a crash. Eventually, the Italian press reports today that an automated SMS was sent by Missoni's mobile some hours after the disappearance of the airplane, saying: "Now I have signal. You can call me", like if it was not switched off by the captors.
My Idea is that the clever minded people should forget the "tropical paradises" where drugs are involved.
How can a small plane like that be hijacked unless it was a member of the crew that did the hijacking? OR - is that why he was 'found' later? Because honestly, if you're going to pay a crewman to hijack his own plane, the last thing you would want is for him to be walking around later telling people about it (or worse, blackmailing you over it).
They will find the plane sooner or later.
Never heard of him or his brand. Still, I hope they survived the plane going down. That's never fun.
His men's cologne fragrance is one of my favorites. I hope all turns out well. If not, my condolances to all who knew and loved him.
If it landed in the ocean, they could be alive in the water. Depends how they went down. It was either a crash no one survived, or they made a water landing and are now swimming. Rescuers better get to that area soon. There is still hope.
Who gives a rats ass?
Midnightridr: you ARE a rat's ass. If that's all you've got to say, then WHY even post? If it is because you need to add some variety to your life, spare the readers here: lay off the keyboard and just use the other hand.