- Tragic Plane Crash Bequia
- Plane crash off Bequia, St Vincent
- 4 die in plane crash St Vincent
- N4023B-BELLANCA Viking (single-piston) crashes
- Christian Klepser,Madita Klepser,Annik Klepser and Robert Sachs
Three American nationals died when a private plane crashed moments after takeoff from J.F. Mitchell airport on the Grenadines island of Bequia, St Vincent, on Thursday.
The U.S. citizens are Mr. Christian Klepser, 51 years old, and his two (2) daughters, Madita Klepser and Annik Klepser, 10 and 12 years old, respectively.
Authorities in St Vincent on Thursday evening said the single-engine aircraft, Registration Number N4023B, owned and piloted by Mr. Robert Sachs of Bequia, crashed into the sea, one (1) nautical mile west of Petit Nevis, at 12.11 p.m. on January 4. The aircraft was en route to St. Lucia, its final destination.
Moments after taking off, the aircraft experienced difficulties and plummeted into the ocean.
Several residents who spoke with the St Vincent Times said that on takeoff, the aircraft made a sputtering sound.
“It sounded like when a vehicle is struggling—you know, stalling, struggling for power to go up a hill,” a local resident, Danroy Joesph, remarked.
According to an aviation expert, the aircraft appears to have stalled shortly after takeoff.
Fishermen and divers from Paget Farm went to the scene of the incident in their boats to render assistance. The SVG Coast Guard was informed and quickly travelled to Paget Farm, Bequia, to lead in the rescue efforts.
The four (4) bodies of the aforementioned persons were transported to mainland St Vincent on board the Coast Guard vessel and were taken to the Kingstown Mortuary, where post-mortem examinations are expected to be carried out to ascertain the cause of death.
The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCA) is expected to launch an investigation shortly into the crash of the U.S.-registered aircraft.
