London (CNN) Wreckage from the plane carrying Argentine football star Emiliano Sala that disappeared over the English Channel almost two weeks ago has been found, according a marine scientist leading a search team.

"Wreckage of the plane carrying Emiliano Sala and piloted by David Ibbotson was located early this morning by the FPV MORVEN. As agreed with the AAIB they moved the GEO OCEAN III over the position we provided them to visually identify the plane by ROV. #EmilianoSala," David Mearns wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

"The families of Emiliano Sala and David Ibbotson have been notified by Police," he wrote. "Tonight our sole thoughts are with the families and friends of Emiliano and David."

A spokeswoman for UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) also confirmed to CNN in a phone interview that the wreckage was found.

Wreckage of the plane carrying Emiliano Sala and piloted by David Ibbotson was located early this morning by the FPV MORVEN. As agreed with the AAIB they moved the GEO OCEAN III over the position we provided them to visually identify the plane by ROV. #EmilianoSala — David Mearns (@davidlmearns) February 3, 2019

The privately funded search started Sunday. Mearns, the director of deep-sea operation company Blue Water Recoveries, led the search team on board the vessel FPV Morven. Mearns, who claims to have located 24 shipwrecks in his career, was working on behalf of the Sala family.

Read More