NEW YORK (JTA) — An Israeli couple was killed when their light aircraft went down over the sea off the western Greek island of Zakynthos, local authorities reported.
The bodies, as well as the plane’s wreckage, were discoverd Wednesday morning by a rescue helicopter’s crew, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The Merchant Marine Ministry said the private plane left Zakynthos on Tuesday evening for the nearby island of Corfu, some 300 miles northwest of Athens.
Authorities said that after the single-engine aircraft passed the island of Kos, the Israelis reported problems and landed temporarily. The plane reportedly took off again that evening, but sent out a distress signal about an hour later.
Two rescue aircraft, a search and rescue boat, two cargo ships and a smaller craft took part in the search, the ministry said. The rescue team focused on a spot 25 miles northwest of Zakynthos, where the plane was last seen on radar screens.
According to an initial investigation, the accident was caused by harsh weather conditions.
