Former MLB pitcher Roy Halladay dies in Gulf of Mexico plane crash

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – Former Major League Baseball pitcher Roy Halladay died Tuesday after his small plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, according to officials with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. He was 40.

Halladay’s ICON A5 sport aircraft crashed about 10 miles west of St. Petersburg, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Photos of the wreckage quickly circulated on social media and the tail numbers matched an aircraft registered to Halladay.

The sheriff's office marine unit responded to the downed plane and found Halladay's body. No survivors were found.

They said they couldn't confirm if there were additional passengers on the plane or say where it was headed.

Halladay retired in 2013 after 12 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays followed by four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.

“There are no words to describe the sadness that the entire Phillies family is feeling over the loss of one of the most respected human beings to every play the game,” the team said in a statement.

The All Star purchased the small aircraft in October and recently posted pictures after his flights around the Tampa Bay area.

“I have dreamed about owning a A5 since I retired! Real life is better than my dreams!” Halladay tweeted Oct. 13 with pictures of the aircraft.

The ICON A5 is a light sport two-seater aircraft that can land on beaches, water and runways, according to the company's website. The aircraft's wings fold in for easier towing and transport.

The plane has a "completely aircraft parachute" or CAP for emergency situations.

"CAP technology has more than 300 documented lives saved, some at altitudes as low as a few hundred feet," according to ICON's website. "So if you encounter the unexpected, we’ve got you covered. Literally."

Halladay said in an October interview for the aircraft manufacture that he has owned other planes, but “words don’t do justice what the A5 allows us to experience.”

Halladay was a two-time Cy Young Award winner and an eight-time All Star, according to the MLB. He is survived by his wife, Brandy and two sons, Ryan and Braden.