Tragic Plane Crash Off Caribbean Island Claims Lives of US Tourist and His Two Young Daughters

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• A small aircraft crashed into the sea off Bequia, part of St. Vincent, killing four people including an American actor and his two daughters.
• The victims were identified as Christian Klepser (55), his daughters Madita (10) and Annik (12), and pilot Robert Sachs.
• The crash was captured on video; local fishermen and divers assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts.

A tragic plane crash occurred off a Caribbean island, resulting in the deaths of all four passengers on board, including a 51-year-old American tourist and his two daughters, aged 10 and 12.

The incident, which took place on Thursday near Bequia in St. Vincent, was caught on video. Witnesses reported seeing the plane nosedive into the sea.

The deceased have been identified as Christian Klepser, a German-born actor known as Christian Oliver, who appeared in films such as "Speed Racer" and "Valkyrie", and his daughters Madita and Annik. The pilot, Robert Sachs, who owned the aircraft, also perished. The family had been in the region since December 26.

According to local reports, the plane encountered difficulties shortly after taking off from JF Mitchell Airport and was en route to St. Lucia. Footage on social media shows the aircraft plunging into the water, creating a massive splash. Following the crash, local fishermen and divers hurried to the site to aid in the search and rescue operation.

The depth of the sea at the crash site is estimated to be around 70 feet. Sachs had reportedly radioed the control tower shortly after takeoff, indicating trouble and his intention to return, but that was the last communication received from him.

Local fishermen played a significant role in the initial search and criticized the coast guard's response. They took measures to mark the location of the wreckage and decided to retrieve the bodies themselves, citing concerns about the tide carrying the plane into open water.

Witness accounts described the plane's engine and power failures before it ultimately plunged into the sea. Sachs, a native of Springfield, New Jersey, had lived in the Caribbean for nearly four decades and ran a diving business in Bequia. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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