Gold’s Gym owner and 5 others feared dead after plane crash off the coast of Costa Rica
This undated photo provided by the San Jose (Costa Rica) Police Department, shows Gold’s Gym employee Mario Laguerte. Authorities have identified 5 people as believed to be the victims of Friday’s plane crash off the Costa Rica coast. (San Jose Police Department via AP)
An undated photo provided by the San Jose (Costa Rica) Police Department, shows Gold’s Gym employee Mario Laguerte. Authorities have identified 5 people as believed to be the victims of Friday’s plane crash off the Costa Rica coast. (San Jose Police Department via AP)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Authorities say a cargo plane carrying people died after it crash-landed in the water off a beach in Costa Rica, killing everyone on board and two people on the ground in the crash.
Police spokesman Jorge Vaca told The Associated Press that the bodies of the people killed on the private aircraft were in “good condition.” His remarks were echoed by the public prosecutor’s office.
Vaca said the cargo plane was carrying 40 passengers and seven crew members. He said the aircraft was believed to have crashed as it flew down the Pacific coast, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the capital, San Jose.
Vaca said the plane’s captain told emergency officials the plane had lost power before it hit the water and that an emergency locator transmitter found its way into the sea, but that no one heard the explosion.
Vaca said investigators will look for other possible causes of the crash.
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Vaca said a group of people were seen on the beach before the plane crashed. Authorities believe they were from the same family or group of people. He said they were not injured but left with police officers as they waited for emergency officials to arrive. Costa Rican media identified the group as the family of the woman killed in a traffic accident in 2016 when her Mercedes-Benz flipped over, though details were sketchy and their names weren’t released.
There were more than 30 people on the plane, he said.
The crash was