Christian Oliver was on a vacation with his two daughters. (File)
German Hollywood actor Christian Oliver and his two daughters were killed on Friday in a tragic plane crash in the Carribean sea, police said, adding that the family's small plane experienced trouble soon after it began its journey to a nearby island.
The family was reportedly on a vacation. "Greetings from somewhere in paradise! To community and love... 2024 [here] we come!," the actor said in a post on Instagram, days before the crash.
The plane crash
Police said the "Valkryie" actor's one-engine plane took off from Paget Farm, part of St Vincent and the Grenadines islands in the Carribean, at 12.11 pm and was supposed to land at St Lucia, another island nearby.
However, difficulties began soon after the plane took off.
"Moments after taking off, the aircraft experienced difficulties and plummeted into the ocean. Fishermen and divers from Paget Farm went to the scene of the incident in their boats to render assistance. The SVG Coast Guard was informed and quickly traveled to Paget Farm, Bequia, to lead in the rescue efforts," The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force said in a statement.
Local divers, fishermen and coast guard officials began a rescue operation soon after the crash. The bodies of Oliver, 51 and his two daughters Madita, 10 and Annik, 12 were pulled from the sea. The aircraft's pilot and owner Robert Sachs was also killed in the crash.
"The four bodies of the aforementioned persons were recovered from the aircraft/sea by Coast Guard personnel and were later pronounced deceased by a medical practitioner. The bodies were transported to St. Vincent on board the Coast Guard vessel and were taken to the Kingstown Mortuary, where post-mortem examinations are expected to be carried out to ascertain the cause of death," the police said.
An investigation into the crash has been started, they added.
Who is Christian Oliver?
Christian Oliver featured in over 60 films and TV shows including big hits like 'Valkyrie', 'The Baby-Sitters Club' and TV series Sense8. Oliver also appeared on the big screen with George Clooney in "The Good German" and in 2008 action-comedy "Speed Racer".