A small private plane carrying four members of a Florida family disappeared off the coast of the Bahamas on Monday, triggering an urgent search-and-rescue effort involving the U.S. Coast Guard and Bahamian authorities. The Florida family plane missing off Andros Island had just left a Labor Day weekend vacation home and was heading back to South Florida when it vanished from radar.
Bahamian police say the aircraft, a twin-engine PA-34 Piper with tail number N212ML, took off from Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands around 11:12 a.m. It was bound for a small airport in Miami-Dade County when air traffic controllers lost contact roughly 13 miles west of Andros Island. Poor weather later forced rescue crews to pause their search, and as of Tuesday morning it had not resumed.
The family identified the four people on board as Mario Lamar Sr., 80, the pilot; his wife, Lili Lamar, 79; and two of their grandchildren, Sofia Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22. Relatives say Lamar was a highly experienced pilot who had been flying for more than 40 years, and that the family had spent the holiday weekend at their vacation home in the Bahamas before starting the short flight home.
What Happened?
According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Piper PA-34 left Great Harbour Cay on Monday morning on a routine trip to South Florida. The flight was expected to land at Miami Executive Airport, formerly known as Tamiami Airport, in Miami-Dade County.
Air traffic control lost contact with the plane about 13 miles west of Andros Island. Bahamian police said officers on Andros are “coordinating efforts to locate an aircraft believed to have crash-landed off the coast of Red Bays, North Andros.”
Flight-tracking data from FlightAware, reviewed by several news outlets, shows the aircraft’s altitude and speed became erratic before it dropped rapidly, falling from roughly 10,000 feet to about 3,700 feet in a span of three minutes. The plane then went silent, and it has not been located.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force contacted the U.S. Coast Guard at around 2 p.m. Monday to request help finding the downed aircraft, which was reported approximately 15 miles off Andros Island. The Coast Guard’s Seventh District command center in Miami responded by launching an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft, a fixed-wing plane commonly used for long-range maritime searches, to help Bahamian crews scan the water.
The Family Aboard the Plane
Family members quickly stepped forward to identify the four people missing and to appeal publicly for help. Silvia Larrieu, the niece of Mario and Lili Lamar, released a video statement pleading for support from anyone able to assist.
“Please help,” Larrieu said, according to the Miami Herald. “I ask anybody out there, if you can help with search-and-rescue efforts, we would greatly appreciate it. We need to bring them home.”
Family members told reporters that Mario and Lili Lamar have long owned a vacation home in the Bahamas and treated the island getaway as a second home. Sofia Sosa, one of the grandchildren aboard, is a recent college graduate. The family described the trip as an annual Labor Day tradition, and relatives said the group was simply flying home when contact was lost.
Family members also emphasized that Mario Lamar was not a novice behind the controls. In a statement provided to reporters, relatives called him “an experienced pilot with more than 40 years of flying experience,” underscoring that his background made the sudden loss of contact especially confusing and alarming for those who know him.
Why This Search Matters
Small-plane flights between South Florida and the Bahamas are extremely common. The islands sit less than 200 miles from Miami, and private pilots frequently make the short hop for weekend trips, much like the Lamar family’s Labor Day visit. Because the route crosses open water for long stretches, any mechanical trouble, sudden weather change, or loss of control can leave a downed aircraft difficult to spot and reach quickly.
That difficulty is central to this case. Search crews must comb a wide stretch of ocean near Andros Island, the largest island in the Bahamas but also one of the least developed, with large stretches of shallow banks, mangroves, and open water. Weather moving through the area on Monday made it harder for boats and aircraft to safely scan the surface, and officials said the search had to be suspended for an unspecified period as a result.
For families of the missing, and for the broader community that flies this route regularly, the case is a reminder of how quickly a routine flight can turn into a life-or-death search. It also illustrates how U.S. and Bahamian agencies coordinate across the border when an American aircraft goes down in Bahamian waters.
What Officials Are Saying
The Royal Bahamas Police Force has been the lead agency confirming details of the flight path, the aircraft’s registration, and the location where contact was lost. In its public statement, the agency described the incident as a suspected crash landing and said local officers on Andros Island were coordinating the search on the ground and along the coastline.
The U.S. Coast Guard, which does not have jurisdiction to lead a search in Bahamian waters but frequently assists under longstanding cooperation agreements, confirmed it received a request for help at around 2 p.m. Monday. A Coast Guard spokesperson said the Seventh District’s command center in Miami coordinated the launch of an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft to support the Bahamian-led search.
Neither agency has released additional details about the cause of the apparent crash, and no wreckage or debris field had been publicly confirmed as of Tuesday morning. Authorities have not said whether they believe there are survivors, and officials have been careful to describe the incident as a search for a downed aircraft rather than confirming a fatal outcome.
Background: Flying the Bahamas-to-Florida Route
Great Harbour Cay, where the flight originated, is a small settlement in the Berry Islands known for its marina and vacation properties, many of which are owned by Americans who fly in and out for weekend or holiday trips. It is a popular destination for private pilots because of its short runway and easy access from South Florida.
Miami Executive Airport, the plane’s reported destination, is a general aviation airport in Miami-Dade County that serves private and charter aircraft rather than commercial airline traffic. It was previously known as Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, or “Tamiami,” before being renamed. The airport is a common landing point for private planes returning from the Bahamas.
Flights along this corridor typically take less than an hour and cross open ocean for much of the route. Pilots making this trip are required to file international flight plans and carry safety equipment for overwater flying, though specific equipment aboard the Lamar family’s aircraft has not been detailed by authorities.
What Happens Next?
As of Tuesday, the search for the missing plane and the four people aboard remained suspended because of weather, according to Bahamian police. Officials have not said when conditions were expected to improve enough to resume the operation, and no timeline has been given for when search assets will return to the area.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s HC-144 Ocean Sentry remained available to assist Bahamian search efforts once conditions allow. Additional Bahamian police, defense force units, or aviation authorities could join the search depending on how it develops in the coming days.
Family members, meanwhile, continued to publicly appeal for any information or assistance, including from private boaters, pilots, or other members of the public who may be near Andros Island and could report sightings of debris or wreckage. Authorities have not indicated whether they plan to open a formal investigation into the cause of the incident, which would typically follow once the aircraft or its wreckage is located.
News organizations, including the Miami Herald and other outlets covering the story, said they would continue to update details as authorities release new information. Any updates on the fate of the four family members, the recovery of the aircraft, or the resumption of search efforts are expected to come from the Royal Bahamas Police Force or the U.S. Coast Guard.
Who was on the small plane that went missing near the Bahamas?
The four people aboard were identified by family members as Mario Lamar Sr., 80, the pilot; his wife, Lili Lamar, 79; and two grandchildren, Sofia Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22. All four are from Florida and were returning home after a Labor Day weekend trip to the Bahamas.
Where did the plane disappear?
Air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft about 13 miles west of Andros Island in the Bahamas. Bahamian police believe the plane may have crash-landed near Red Bays, on the northern part of Andros Island, though it has not yet been located.
What kind of plane was involved in the Bahamas disappearance?
The aircraft was a twin-engine PA-34 Piper, a small five-seater plane commonly used for private and short-distance flights, with the tail number N212ML. It departed from Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands.
Why is the search for the Florida family’s plane suspended?
Bahamian police said poor weather forced search crews to pause the operation on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, officials had not said when the search would resume.
Who is helping search for the missing aircraft?
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The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are leading the search. The U.S. Coast Guard is assisting after being asked for help around 2 p.m. Monday, and it launched an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft to support the effort.
Was the pilot experienced?
Yes. Family members told reporters that Mario Lamar Sr. had more than 40 years of flying experience. Relatives said his background made the sudden loss of contact especially unexpected.
Has any wreckage or debris been found?
As of Tuesday morning, no wreckage or debris field had been publicly confirmed by authorities. Officials have described the case as an active search for a downed aircraft.
Is this a common route for small planes flying to and from the Bahamas?
Yes. Short flights between South Florida and the Bahamas, including to destinations like Great Harbour Cay, are common among private pilots because of the short distance and popularity of Bahamian vacation properties among Americans
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