Midair collision results in multiple deaths in Florida

A mid-air collision between two small planes over the Floridian city of Everglades in the United States have resulted in the death of three people while search for a possible fourth victim is expected to resume on Wednesday morning.

A cellphone video taken by an eyewitness shows debris from the planes falling from the sky following the collision.

The witness, Daniel Miralles to a local station, CBS Miami the crash happened at about 1pm on Tuesday.

"Imagine an 18-wheeler going 100 miles an hour and colliding into a wall. That's what it sounded like," said Miralles.

"Out of nowhere, we hear a semi pass by and then we hear this big explosion so in our heads we're thinking the semi truck crashed and we look up and all you see is this giant ball of flame," said Gary Winthorpe, who was fishing with Miralles. "You see one spinning, falling down and you see the other one engulfed in flames falling down."

Miami Dade's Fire Rescue units dispatched nearly 30 teams to the scene - which is south of Tamiami Trail a few miles west of Krome Avenue at mile marker 23 - and the rescuers used air boats to gain access to the remote area where the planes were.

"We were able to confirm that we do have 3 deceased, there could be a possible 4th," said Miami-Dade Police Department Det. Alvaro Zabaleta.

"The two planes were possibly training which leads us to believe you had a pilot and a trainer, or trainer and student and another plane a trainer and a student.  That's why we're thinking there may be a 4th person."

The three victims are 73-year-old Ralph Knight, 20-year-old Nisha Sejwal and 23–year-old Jorge Sanchez as released by the Miami Dade police.

Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board says it will launch an investigation into the crash.




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