Family of 4 found dead after plane disappears during flight from Bahamas to Miami, authorities say
The victims were identified as 80-year-old pilot Mario Lamar, his 79-year-old wife, Lili Lamar, and their grandchildren, 28-year-old Sofi Sosa and 22-year-old Christian Sosa.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A family search ended in tragedy Tuesday after relatives found the wreckage of a small plane and recovered the bodies of all four people aboard off the Bahamas.
The family had been returning to South Florida when the aircraft disappeared during the flight.
What we know:
Authorities said the Piper PA-34, a five-seat aircraft, departed Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas on Monday morning bound for Miami Executive Airport. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane about 13 miles west of Andros Island.
The victims were identified as 80-year-old pilot Mario Lamar, his 79-year-old wife, Lili Lamar, and their grandchildren, 28-year-old Sofi Sosa and 22-year-old Christian Sosa.
Family member Silvia Larrieu said relatives searching by boat located the wreckage and recovered the bodies Tuesday while working with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Timeline:
The family left Great Harbour Cay on Monday after spending the Labor Day weekend in the Bahamas.
Before takeoff, Sofi Sosa texted relatives that the family was departing, and Mario Lamar filed a flight plan showing the aircraft's expected arrival time in Miami.
After messages to the family stopped going through and the plane failed to arrive, relatives contacted authorities.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday afternoon. Search efforts were delayed by poor weather before resuming Tuesday, when family members located the aircraft.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not said what caused the aircraft to go down.
Investigators have not released details about the condition of the wreckage, whether the plane issued a distress call, or when an official determination on the cause of the crash may be made.
The backstory:
According to family members, Mario Lamar had more than 40 years of flying experience and frequently made trips between South Florida and the Bahamas, where he owned a second home in Great Harbour Cay.
Relatives described him as a cautious pilot who meticulously maintained his aircraft.
The tragedy comes less than two months after another fatal aviation accident in the Bahamas, when a plane crashed in North Andros, killing 10 people.
What they're saying:
The family thanked those who joined the search while asking for privacy as they grieve.
"We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported us, searched alongside us, and kept our family in their prayers. We respectfully ask for privacy as we mourn this unimaginable loss."
Silvia Larrieu described the loss in simple terms during a brief interview with The Associated Press.
"This is awful."
The Source: This story was written with information shared in a release from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and with information from WSVN in Miami.