Plane With 10 Tourists, Including American Family of 5, Crashes in Costa Rica: Reports

Plane With 10 Tourists, Including American Family of 5, Crashes in Costa Rica: Reports
(Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)
Jack Phillips
12/31/2017
Updated:
1/1/2018

Five Americans were reportedly among 10 tourists who were killed in a plane crash in the Costa Rica mountains on Sunday, according to reports.

The Costa Rican government said that the plane had 12 people on board before it crashed in a wooded area, CNN reported. There were two Costa Rican crew members on the plane.
The Costa Rican government said that the plane had 12 people on board before it crashed in a wooded area. (Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)
The Costa Rican government said that the plane had 12 people on board before it crashed in a wooded area. (Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)
“There are no people alive,” Security Minister Gustavo Mata said. Autopsies are pending to confirm the victims’ identities, reported Diario Las Americos and the Daily Mail.

The two publications also reported that the American family of five on board the aircraft was Bruce Steinberg, Irene Steinberg, Matthew Steinberg, William Steinberg, and Zachary Steinberg. They’re reportedly from New York.

There were no survivors. (Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)
There were no survivors. (Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security also posted images of the plane on its Facebook page, showing the flame-engulfed wreck

The crash took place near Punta Islita, in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province, officials told CNN.

The cause of the crash is not clear.

The cause of the crash is not yet known. (Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)
The cause of the crash is not yet known. (Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security)

Costa Rica’s former president, Laura Chinchilla, wrote that a crew member, Juan Manuel Retana, was her cousin.

“A death has interrupted our family celebration. Our beloved cousin died as part of the crew of the plane that crashed in Guanacaste. Courage to his children and siblings and may he rest in peace. You will stay in our hearts dear #Juanmanuel Retana,” Chinchilla tweeted, according to a translation from Spanish.
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Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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