Several months after a father received his pilot’s licence, a couple and their 12-year-old daughter perished in a plane disaster.
Following the tragedy on Saturday, three fatalities of a collision in the Gulf of Mexico have been named.
A mother, their 12-year-old daughter, and the pilot’s father were among the deceased.
Christian Kath, 42, of Queensland, Australia, was piloting the Piper Cherokee PA-28 while Misty, 43, and their daughter Lilly were in the back.
When the plane crashed off the coast of Venice Beach, the couple had recently relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, where their youngest daughter Harper was attending a sleepover at a friend’s house.
According to aviation records kept by ABC affiliate WWSB, Christian only received his licence on July 21.
After beginning his flying lessons in December 2021, he posted on social media in March announcing that he had completed his first solo flight and was “halfway through” the process of obtaining his private pilot’s licence.
In a Facebook post he said: “I flew solo for the first time today! Felt so proud to finally achieve something I’ve been wanting to do since I was 8 years old.
“Thanks for putting up with my early morning lessons and late night studying Misty Kath; it will all feel worth while when we can fly to the Keys for a weekend away with Lily and Harper soon.
“Feel lucky to live and be learning to fly in such a beautiful part of the world!’
His wife Misty replied: “So, so proud of you!!! I cannot wait for all our flying adventures.”
From St. Petersburg, Florida, they had rented a plane and travelled to Venice, Italy, for dinner.
They are thought to have left Venice Municipal Airport at 7:30 p.m. and were on their way back when the plane crashed in the water off Venice Beach.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which reported that a single engine plane took off but did not return to the airport in St. Petersburg, alerted the authorities.
Police Chief Charlie Thorpe described how the plane was submerged in 15 feet of water offshore when the debris was discovered.
Divers from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office discovered the dead girl in the passenger area, while adjacent boats discovered Misty’s body a short distance away.
Rescue workers are still looking for Christian’s body.
He oversaw operations for producers of dairy products and honey. and his Fijian-born wife Misty relocated to Australia and enrolled at the University of Queensland.
According to reports, the family relocated to Chicago before travelling to Florida.
It has not yet been determined what caused the catastrophe.
The National Transportation Safety Board transported the plane debris from the area out of the ocean before conducting an examination there in Jacksonville.
The US Coast Guard, Sarasota Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office will all be involved in the inquiry into what transpired.
