Four Americans on their way to Bimini perished when their small six-seater piper aircraft crashed just hours after take off from the Tamiami Airport in southwest Miami-Dade yesterday.
Search parties found the bodies of three adults and one a child in waters about eight miles east of Miami, near floating debris.
Florida authorities said the twin engine Piper PA-23 aircraft had been reported overdue by Miami Flight Service Station since 11:40 a.m.
According to the United States Coast Guard, Al Gustinger, reportedly in his 70s, Erik Gustinger and Idel Gustinger, both in their 30s, and Erik Gustinger Jr., 7, were killed in the crash.
Authorities are now trying to gather as much of the debris as they can to help determine what caused the crash.
The aircraft took off from the Tamiami airport at 9a.m. Monday. Several hours later, a coast guard jet found debris floating in the water around 12:40p.m.
A cutter searching the area initially found the body of an adult male. The other two bodies, also adults were found a short time later. But their identities were not immediately released.
The plane was reportedly registered to Al Gustinger Jr. It wasn’t known if he was the Al Gustinger killed in the crash.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Officials in Bimini could not offer any other details as the island has no control tower.
