Costa Rica finds 2 bodies in crash of plane carrying Germans
(CNN) — Costa Rica’s police chief says two bodies have been found in a plane crash that killed an Austrian family of six on Sunday, and three other people on board.
Costa Ricans hold a national protest following the disappearance of the Austrian family of six on flight TK-1409, which crashed at San José’s airport on Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Dania Maxwell)
Authorities say the plane, which was carrying three members of the family and their two dogs, crashed into a mountainous area about 10 minutes after taking off.
The two people in the wreckage were taken for treatment.
“We have discovered the bodies of a mother, her two children, her two dogs and another person,” Chief of Police Antonio Gonzalez said.
The three people still alive have been transported for treatment in the capital, San José, he said.
The police chief said the other passenger on board the plane, a man of about 65, died at the scene. The cause of the crash was under investigation.
“It’s a terrible tragedy. It’s very difficult for us. The victims are our friends and we are very upset,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said police had talked to the man’s father and girlfriend, and they had nothing to say, other than “it was a horrific crash.”
He said police were not sure if the plane had been carrying a child or was carrying a child-sized child device.
The plane crashed about a mile from the airport, about 12 miles north of the capital.
It had been scheduled to land around 2 p.m. local time, but arrived some 20 minutes late at the San José airport, according to the airport’s website.
There was no immediate word on the status of the passengers left on board the plane, or what caused the crash.
The plane did not have a flight tracker, but the airport website said the plane’s flight number was TK-1409.
The flight’s radio system had been switched off immediately after takeoff, as recommended by safety officials.
The plane departed Vienna, Austria, around 19:20 local time, with a