- The four bodies were recovered by local fishermen and scuba divers who were near the crime scene
The terrifying moment a small plane crashed into the sea off a tiny Caribbean island, killing an American, his two teenage daughters and the pilot, was captured on video.
The tragedy occurred around midday on Thursday in the waters off Bequia, part of St. Vincent.
In one video, a person can be heard saying: 'The plane has crashed! Call the Coast Guard!'
The victims were named by local police as Christian Klepser (51), his daughters Madita (10) and Annik (12). The pilot was Robert Sachs. He also owned the aircraft in question. The family arrived in the area on December 26th.
The group was on its way to St. Lucia when the crash occurred, according to authorities. Shortly after taking off from JF Mitchell Airport in Bequia, the plan ran into unspecified difficulties.
US tourist Christian Klepser (51) and his two daughters Madita (10) and Annik (12) are killed along with an American pilot after their small plane crashed into the sea off a tiny Caribbean island
A few seconds into a social media clip circulating online, the plane can be seen hurtling towards the water
A massive splash occurs, killing all four people on board
After the crash, the plane can be seen in the water. Local fishermen and divers arrived on scene to assist in the rescue efforts
Local fishermen and recreational swimmers who were in the area assisted in the initial search, police said in a statement. The water depth is estimated at about 70 feet.
The St. Vincent-based news outlet Searchlight reports that shortly after takeoff, Sachs radioed the tower that he was in trouble and would turn back. That was the last message.
All four bodies were recovered.
According to his LinkedIn page, Sachs ran a diving business in Bequia with his wife, Cathy. He was from Springfield, New Jersey and had lived in the Caribbean for almost 40 years.
The cause of the plane crash remains under investigation.