Bahamian authorities have confirmed with the families of the victims that on September 8 (Tuesday), a small plane flying from the Bahamas to Florida crashed, and the bodies of four family members from Miami on board have been found.
According to a statement from the families, the four deceased individuals were 80-year-old Mario Lamar Sr., his 79-year-old wife Lili Lamar, and their two grandchildren – 28-year-old Sofia Sosa and 22-year-old Christian Sosa.
The families stated that Mario Lamar Sr. was an experienced pilot with over 40 years of flying experience. They said in the statement, “The search operation was carried out jointly by family members and civilian volunteers who responded to the appeal. In the end, our relatives found their loved ones and brought them aboard their vessel.”
The US Coast Guard reported that on September 7 (Monday) around 2 PM, the Bahamian Defense Force received a report that a plane carrying four individuals had crashed about 15 miles near Andros Island and requested assistance. Bahamian authorities confirmed that the aircraft was a five-seater Piper PA-34 (registration number N212ML), which took off at around 11:12 AM from Great Harbour Cay and was headed to Miami Executive Airport.
Air traffic control later lost contact with the aircraft about 13 miles west of Andros Island. Search efforts were delayed due to severe weather. Flight tracking data showed a rapid descent and a change in course before losing contact.
The families expressed gratitude for all the assistance and said, “We sincerely thank everyone who supported us, searched with us, and prayed for our family members.” They also requested respect for their privacy. The investigation into the cause of the accident is still ongoing.
The Bahamas is located southeast of Florida and north of the main island of Cuba, consisting of around 700 islands, with most of its territory located near the Bermuda Triangle. The country is one of the wealthier nations in the Caribbean region, with tourism and finance being its main economic pillars.
(Reference: ABC NEWS report)