Four people aboard a Piper PA-34 vanished after the aircraft departed Great Harbour Cay Airport in the Bahamas on Monday, September 7, 2026. Officials have recovered three of the missing passengers, identified as an elderly couple and their two grandchildren.
The flight was bound for Miami Executive Airport in Florida. Contact with the plane was lost moments after take‑off, prompting an immediate response from local authorities and rescue teams.
The passengers had been staying at a second home on Great Harbour Cay for the weekend. After the weekend, they boarded the small twin‑engine aircraft to return to the mainland United States.
Search crews combed the surrounding waters and shoreline following the loss of signal. Divers and surface vessels located the three bodies, which were later confirmed by officials as belonging to the elderly couple and their grandchildren. The fourth passenger remains unaccounted for.
Authorities continue to coordinate aerial and maritime assets in an effort to locate the missing individual. The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not released further details about the cause of the disappearance.
The Piper PA-34 is a twin‑engine light aircraft commonly used for short regional trips. Its capacity matches the four occupants on board, and the aircraft departed under clear weather conditions according to the latest briefing from officials.
Rescue operations have involved both surface vessels and aircraft conducting systematic sweeps of the flight corridor. Officials said the search will remain active until the remaining passenger is located or additional information is obtained.
The disappearance was reported shortly after the aircraft failed to check in with the scheduled waypoint, prompting the launch of the search at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time.