A private plane carrying four members of a Florida family has vanished over the waters off the Bahamas, prompting a search effort joined by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Sofia Sosa, 28, a neonatal physician assistant, sent a final text message to her mother stating she was flying home shortly before the Piper PA-34 Seneca disappeared from radar Monday morning. The aircraft had departed Great Harbour Cay at approximately 11:12 a.m. and was en route to Opa Locka, Florida.
On board with Sosa were her younger brother, Christian Sosa, 22, her grandmother Lili Lamar, 79, and her grandfather Mario Lamar, 80, who was piloting the plane.
According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, radar data showed the aircraft's speed fluctuated rapidly before its altitude dropped from around 10,000 feet to 3,700 feet in just three minutes. The plane's flight path also indicated a circular loop before it lost contact with air traffic control about 13 miles west of Andros Island.
Air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft around 11:25 a.m. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed its involvement, with an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft supporting the search.
Rough weather conditions near the north end of Andros Island were noted in FlightAware's tracking data and briefly hindered initial Bahamian search efforts.
Family members have expressed distress and are appealing for assistance. Silvia Larrieu, a niece of Mario and Lili Lamar, stated that her uncle, a trained pilot with 40 years of experience, maintained his aircraft meticulously. The family has a long-standing connection to the Bahamas, considering it a second home.
Sofia Sosa earned her master's degree from Florida International University in December 2023 and graduated from Wake Forest University in 2020. Christian Sosa previously worked as a freelance photographer for the Los Angeles Rams and graduated from Loyola Marymount University this year.
Their mother, Guilaine Sosa, an attorney in Florida, is reported to be the last person to have heard from her daughter. Public records indicate the parents reside in Miami, with the grandparents owning a nearby home.
