U.S. officials have confirmed the death of singer Jenni Rivera following a tragic plane crash in Mexico on Sunday (09Dec12).

The Latin star's private plane went missing after taking off from an airport in Monterrey, Mexico following a late night gig on Saturday (08Dec12).

Rescuers discovered the wreckage scattered across the state of Nuevo Leon late on Sunday and the damage was so bad, authorities claimed there was "nothing recognisable, neither material nor human".

All seven people on the Learjet 25 were presumed dead, and on Monday morning (10Dec12) Rivera's driving licence was recovered from the debris.

Now executives at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (Ntsb) have confirmed Rivera was among those who perished in the tragedy.

A statement issued by the organisation reads: "On Dec. 9, 2012 at about 3.30am local time, the airplane crashed about 70 miles south of Monterrey, Mexico, due to unknown circumstances while en route to Mexico City, Mexico. All seven persons on board were fatally injured including Latin singer Jenni Rivera."

Ntsb bosses have dispatched investigators to Mexico to help local officials retreive the remains of the victims and determine what happened.

Tributes from Rivera's celebrity friends began pouring in soon after news of the plane crash broke and her brother, Pedro Rivera, Jr., is heartbroken.

He tells E! News, "We are feeling devastated. It's a devastation to the family."

The Riveras are now planning to travel to Mexico to bring the singer's remains back to her native California for a funeral.

Her brother adds, "When we do find out what has happened with the body, because they have to get it out of the woods there... and we receive the news that they're there, all the family is going to fly over there and bring our sister back."