Frantic search for grandparents and grandkids missing after small plane loops and goes silent

A frantic search has been launched after two grandparents and two grandchildren are missing after the small plane they were travelling in reportedly crashed.

According to US Coastguard and Bahama officials, the plane went down on Monday afternoon while it flew over to Miami from Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas, reports ABC.

"At approximately 2 p.m. the Royal Bahamian Defence Force requested Coast Guard assistance following a report of a downed airplane with 4 people aboard approximately 15 miles off Andros Island, Bahamas," said the Coast Guard.

The Bahamas police were reported to have said they are coordinating efforts to locate an aircraft believed to have crash-landed off the coast of Red Bays, North Andros. The statement continued: "PA-34 Piper five-seater aircraft, bearing tail number N212ML" then "departed Great Harbour Cay at approximately 11:12 a.m."

"Air Traffic Control subsequently lost contact with the aircraft approximately 13 miles west of Andros Island," officials said while explaining poor weather had hampered rescue efforts.

Police confirmed four people were on board, with the Miami Herald publishing a family statement identifying the missing as Mario Lamar, 80, who was the pilot, his wife Lili Lamar, 79, and two grandchildren were named as Sofia Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22.

Mario and Lili’s niece Silvia Larrieu described how her uncle and aunt enjoyed their Labour Day weekend in Great Harbour Cay, where they have a holiday home.

"They've spent their whole life going there. That's like their second home," she said. "They were coming home."

She described how other family members suspected all was not right when the shared group chat became silent, so they looked up the flight on the FlightAware website.

According to the report, the aircraft passed through bad weather, its speed fluctuated and altitude dropped before the aircraft completed a loop and the data stopped.

Larrieu said her uncle was an experienced pilot, keeping his plane in “pristine” order.

"Please help," Larrieu said in a video statement. "I ask anybody out there, if you can help with search and rescue efforts, we would greatly appreciate it. We need to bring them home."