The Tribune

THE US Coast Guard suspended its search yesterday for a Piper Saratoga aircraft with two people aboard that crashed into the ocean 23 miles east of Palm Beach on Friday.

The plane was said to be heading to Marsh Harbour, Abaco when it headed into a thunderstorm and crashed around 1pm. Two dogs were also said to be on board. Friends and family have identified the people on board as Ken Simmons and his wife Alice.

According to a statement posted to Twitter, the Coast Guard said it conducted maritime and aerial searches for more than 32 hours and concentrated in an area of 1,164 square nautical miles before calling off the search. Numerous other searches were conducted by the Palm Beach Sheriff Office and partner agencies, the agency noted.

“Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we ever have to make, and it is never made lightly,” said Capt Mark Vlaun, deputy commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami.

“We have been in regular contact with the family members throughout our search efforts and extend our sympathies for what we know is a very difficult time for them.”

The Coast Guard began searching after its seventh district command centre watchstanders received notification from the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday the Piper Saratoga aircraft with two people aboard went down 23 miles east of Palm Beach.

Dr Simmons, a longtime Palm Beach County veterinarian, would often pilot his own plane to pick up pet patients from the Bahamas, according to Florida media outlets.

“Just heard very upsetting news,” a friend of the pilot posted to Facebook yesterday. ‘Kenneth Simmons, DVM, and his wife died in a plane crash on Friday night. Ken was a longtime friend and my vet since 1990. He was always on top of his business and cared for my dogs as if they were his own. I trusted him implicitly. He sold his practice several years ago and I missed having him caring for my dogs. RIP Ken Simmons. You will be dearly missed.”

A neighbour, Candace Neff, told CBS12 News: “He was a vet. He helped us a lot with when our animals were hurt or injured. He just takes them in and makes it better.”