INVESTIGATORS have identified the body of a North businessman killed when a passenger plane plunged into the Atlantic Ocean.

Middlesbrough-born Arthur Coakley, from Sandsend, near Whitby, North Yorkshire, was on Air France flight 447, from Rio bound for Paris, which crashed on June 1.

His boarding card and laptop had already been found by accident investigators.

Mr Coakley's widow, Patricia, said she was thankful that his body had been found.

The body will be repatriated later this week.

It is expected that his body will be flown to Durham Tees Valley Airport.

Mrs Coakley said that no funeral arrangements were yet being made.

She said: "It was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Art had been identified.

"At least now we, his family, know what happened to him and that he will be coming home."

Earlier this week, Brazilian investigators called off the search for bodies from the crash, which killed 228 people, meaning some victims' remains may never be found.