Coast Guard searches for plane carrying four family members missing near Bahamas
A South Florida family is desperately asking for answers after a small plane carrying four relatives disappeared during a flight from the Bahamas to the Miami area, triggering a multinational search effort that resumed Tuesday after weather delays.
The aircraft, a Piper PA-34 Seneca, departed Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands at about 11:12 a.m. Monday and was bound for Opa-locka, Florida, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Controllers lost radar contact with the plane roughly 13 miles west of Andros Island, the largest island in the Bahamas, authorities said.
Silvi Larrieu identified those on board as her uncle Mario Lamar, his wife Lili Lamar, and two of his grandchildren, Christian Sosa and Sofi Sosa. Mario Lamar, 80, has logged more than 40 years as a pilot, Larrieu told CNN, and was flying his family back to South Florida after what relatives described as a weekend trip.
The plane was reported missing around 2:20 p.m. Monday after police received word that an aircraft may have gone down near Red Bays, a remote settlement on the northwestern tip of Andros Island. Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the aircraft, tail number N212ML, circling off the Bahamian coast before dropping off radar.
Thunderstorms were reported in the area around the time of the disappearance, though investigators have not said whether weather played a role. The region is prone to fast-moving tropical cells this time of year, and sudden downdrafts have been linked to past general aviation accidents in the Bahamas.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it deployed an HC-144 Ocean Sentry surveillance plane to assist the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in the search, which has focused on waters roughly 15 miles off Andros Island. An initial search attempt was hampered by severe weather but resumed as conditions cleared, officials said.
“Efforts to locate the aircraft and its occupants remain a priority,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement.
Search crews face a daunting challenge in the backcountry of the Bahamas, where shallow flats, deep channels and scattered cays can make aerial detection difficult. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration have been notified, though jurisdiction over the investigation rests with Bahamian authorities.
Meanwhile, the Lamar and Sosa families have issued an emotional plea for anyone who may have been boating or flying near the area to come forward. They are asking witnesses to report any signs of an aircraft in distress, unusual debris, oil slicks, or radio transmissions that might help narrow down the search zone.
“Whether it’s by plane, by boat, any signs that you’ve noticed — please help us find them and bring them back alive,” Larrieu said.
The Bahamas has seen a string of fatal small-plane accidents over the years, and aviation safety experts frequently warn about the perils of flying through unpredictable Caribbean weather, especially in single-pilot or family-operated aircraft without sophisticated weather radar. But those who know Mario Lamar say his experience made him cautious.
“He is our rock,” Larrieu said. “We are praying for a miracle, but we need every possible resource out there looking for them.”