A small, single-engine aircraft, registration number N4023B, crashed into the sea one nautical mile west of Petit Nevis in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday, January 4, 2024, claiming the lives of all four people on board, according to a release from SVG police.
The plane, owned and piloted by Robert Sachs of Bequia, was carrying three passengers: Christian Klepser, a 51-year-old U.S. citizen, and his two daughters, Madita and Annik Klepser, aged 10 and 12 respectively. The aircraft had taken off from the J.F. Mitchell Airport in Paget Farm at approximately 12:11 p.m., bound for St. Lucia.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced difficulties and plummeted into the ocean. Local fishermen and divers from Paget Farm quickly responded to the scene in their boats to render assistance. The SVG Coast Guard was informed and swiftly traveled to Paget Farm, Bequia, to lead the rescue efforts.
The bodies of the four victims were recovered from the wreckage by Coast Guard personnel and were later pronounced dead by a medical practitioner. The bodies were transported to 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 Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has expressed its condolences to all those affected by this tragic incident.
The investigation into the matter is ongoing and the RSVGPF has said that it will continue to update the public as more information is gathered.
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