Search underway for missing plane carrying Florida family off Bahamas coast

A search operation is underway after a small plane carrying four family members returning home to Florida went missing off the coast of the Bahamas on Monday, according to reports from the U.S. Coast Guard and authorities in the Bahamas.

The aircraft took off from Great Harbour Cay, a city located in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas, and was en route to Miami Executive Airport in Miami-Dade County when it disappeared, Bahamas police detailed in a statement.

Identifiers provided by Bahamian police confirmed the aircraft as a five-seater PA-34 Piper bearing the tail number N212ML. Air traffic control personnel lost contact with the flight when it was situated approximately 13 miles west of Andros Island.

Local law enforcement units have centered their response around the last known position. "Police on the island of Andros are coordinating efforts to locate an aircraft believed to have crash-landed off the coast of Red Bays, North Andros," the agency said.

Family member Silvia Larrieu confirmed that her uncle, Mario Lamar, 80, was piloting the aircraft. In a video statement shared by WSVN-TV in Miami, Larrieu explained that the plane was also carrying Lamar’s wife, Lily Lamar, 79, along with two of his grandchildren, Christian Sosa, 22, and Sophie Sosa, 28.

Larrieu said that the family had been celebrating Labor Day weekend at their home in Great Harbour Clay. “They’ve spent their whole life going there. That’s like their second home,” she said.

She said that she became alarmed when the family group chat suddenly went silent. Sophie had texted the group to say they were boarding the plane. Hours later, Larrieu said her reply was unreturned.

According to FlightAware, the plane’s altitude dropped from 10,000 feet to 3,700 feet in just three minutes, reports the Miami Herald.

Appealing to anyone navigating nearby waters or airspace, Larrieu urged observers to help search teams locate her missing relatives.

"Whether it’s by plane, by boat, any signs that you’ve noticed, to help us find them and bring them back alive," said Larrieu. Relatives said that Lamar is an experienced pilot who kept his aircraft very well maintained. His son is helping the search effort in a boat that was launched from Grand Habour Clay on Monday.

Officials in the Bahamas contacted the U.S. Coast Guard at around 2 p.m. on Monday to formally request emergency assistance in locating the downed aircraft.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed that American teams immediately joined the response. "Southeast District command center watchstanders coordinated the launch of an HC-144 Ocean Sentry to assist Bahamian authorities with the search," the spokesperson said.

Despite the joint deployment, search crews had to halt operations as environmental conditions deteriorated. Bahamas police said the search had to be suspended because of bad weather, adding that it was unclear when efforts would resume.

The storm was in the area when the plane vanished from radar screens. It’s not clear if the weather played a part in the crash.