A 9-year-old girl has died from injuries she sustained after a small plane crashed on a Florida beach Sunday, killing her father. Oceana Irizzary was walking along Casperson Beach in Venice, Florida, with her dad, U.S. Army sergeant Ommy Irizarry, 36, when the single-engine plane crash-landed on the shore, striking them. Ommy Irizarry died Sunday from his injuries, while Oceana was airlifted to the hospital with critical injuries. Neither the pilot nor his passenger were hurt.
"Our precious Oceana has joined her daddy in heaven," family members said in a statement. "There are no words to describe the suffering we are experiencing."
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, which is considered non-criminal, according to police. On Monday, three 911 calls from bystanders were released. "The plane came down and hit my friend's husband and daughter," one breathless caller said, telling a dispatcher the male victim was bleeding but conscious, and the young female was not bleeding but unconscious. Another call came from a Venice Airport official, who said a pilot had radioed in to tell the airport he could not land there, but didn't say why, and would be landing a mile south on the beach.
IN-DEPTH
- Frantic 911 Calls Detail Fatal Florida Beach Plane Crash
- Airplane Crashes on Florida Beach, Killing Father
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— Elizabeth Chuck
