Search Underway for Florida Family After Plane Crash

A frantic search is underway for a couple from Florida and their grandchildren following a plane crash that occurred Monday during their return from a vacation in the Bahamas.

Bahamian authorities reported that a PA-34 Piper aircraft, which was on its way to Opa-locka, Florida, fell into the water approximately 13 miles west of Andros Island at around 2:20 p.m. on Monday.

The plane, which took off from Great Harbor Cay that morning, was carrying pilot Mario Lamar, 80, his wife Lili Lamar, 79, along with their grandchildren—28-year-old Sofia Sosa and 22-year-old Christian Sosa, as shared by their family.

The couple and their grandkids had spent the Labor Day weekend enjoying sunsets at their home in Great Harbor Cay before the unfortunate incident occurred. “They’ve spent their whole life going there. That’s like their second home,” said Silvia Larrieu, a niece of the LaMars. “They were coming home.”

According to flight data from FlightAware, the aircraft lost radar contact after experiencing rapid changes in speed and a significant drop in altitude from 10,000 feet to 3,700 feet within three minutes.

The small plane was last detected on radar while passing through rough weather conditions near the northern end of Andros Island, which complicated the search efforts by Bahamian authorities.

Larrieu made a heartfelt plea in a video statement: “Please help. I ask anybody out there, if you can help with search and rescue efforts, we would greatly appreciate it. We need to bring them home.”

The U.S. Coast Guard is cooperating with Bahamian authorities in the search operations, utilizing an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft, as confirmed in a recent statement.

Mario Lamar was reportedly well-experienced, boasting over 40 years of flying experience, according to his family. Meanwhile, Sofia Sosa has just graduated from Wake Forest University, and her brother, Christian Sosa, completed his studies at Loyola Marymount University.