Authorities: Items from Missoni plane found on beach

It's been seven weeks since the head of Italian fashion house Missoni vanished off the coast of Venezuela. Is closure for the members of the Missoni clan rapidly approaching?

On Jan. 4, Vittorio Missoni went missing after his BN-2 Islander plane vanished from radar screens, just moments after departing from the luxurious archipelago of Los Roques. The plane, which was headed for Caracas, was carrying the CEO of the fashion house, his wife Maurizia Castiglioni, and four others.

Police on the island of Boanire told the Associated Press last Thursday that 2 pieces of luggage from Missoni's missing aircraft had washed up ashore. Bonaire police rep Hans Baltus confirmed that the items were indeed from the missing plane, although he did not provide information on how the bags were identified. Missoni family friend Claudio Verna - who has been serving as a family rep, namely with the press - was told by authorities that the bags were found on the rocky beach by a reporter earlier that week.

Italian news source Ansa reported Friday that additional wreckage had been discovered on a shore in Curacao. Authorities are currently investigating if the wreck is indeed that of Vittorio Missoni's plane.

The families of Missoni and the other missing passengers released the following statement Friday afternoon following reports that debris from the aircraft had been discovered: "At th the moment, no official source in Italy, Venezuela and Curaçao, with which we are in direct contact, has confirmed this information."

Missoni is still expected to show its fall/winter 2013 womenswear line at Milan Fashion Week on Sunday, Feb. 24. His niece, Margherita, instagrammed and tweeted a link to the show's live stream early Saturday.

Check back for updates.