Body found in search for missing family off Florida coast

Numerous items thought to have belonged to the family also discovered in the water

Ace Kimberly with his family, who went missing while sailing after expressing concern about changes in the weather (US Coast Guard)

The body of a person believed to be from a missing family feared drowned off the Gulf Coast of Florida has been recovered by the Coast Guard.

The Kimberly family lived on their nine metre sailboat and were last heard from on Tuesday, when they expressed concern about changes in the weather.

Ace Kimberly, 45, his two sons, aged 13 and 15, and a 17-year-old daughter had set sail from Sarasota, Florida, heading south to Fort Myers.

A Coast Guard search helicopter found the body on Wednesday afternoon and turned it over to local authorities for identification. Items identified as belonging to the family were also recovered.

The boat, which the family had lived on for around a year and was reportedly in a poor condition and in need of repair, is still missing.

The boat is believed to have run into a storm with 6' (1.8m) waves on Sunday off Englewood, south western Florida, according to Florida Coast Guard Captain Gregory Case.

Searchers found kayaks that had been towed by the boat as well as a debris field about 37 miles offshore. It included six life vests, a basketball, propane tank, tennis shoes and several water bottles, which Mr Kimberly's brother identified as belonging to his relatives. The debris was a “dire finding”, according to Captain Case.

Mr Kimberly's brother contacted the Coast Guard after he was informed by the family that they were facing "rough seas and thunderstorms". The last contact he had with the family was a number of requests for weather reports. "And that's the last they heard of him," Captain Case said.

Several state and maritime agencies were involved in the search, which also involved specialised aircraft.

The mother of the children – who is separated from Mr Kimberly - is reported to be en route to Florida.