Hollywood actor Christian Oliver was killed along with his two young daughters as their small plane plummeted into the Caribbean Sea moments after take-off, local police said.
The German-born actor, who appeared on the big screen with George Clooney in The Good German and in 2008 action-comedy Speed Racer, died aboard a privately owned, one-engine aircraft on Thursday, the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force said in a statement.
Fishermen, divers and coastguard immediately went to the scene, where four bodies were recovered.
Oliver, 51, died along with his daughters Madita, 10, and Annik, 12, and pilot Robert Sachs.
Starsky & Hutch star David Soul dies aged 80
Starsky & Hutch star David Soul dies aged 80
The plane was travelling from Bequia, a small island in the Grenadines, to St Lucia on Thursday.
The family appeared to be on holiday, with Oliver posting on Instagram days earlier an image of a tropical beach and the caption: “Greetings from somewhere in paradise! To community and love … 2024 [here] we come!”
Oliver, born Christian Klepser, had more than 60 film and television credits to his name, including a minor part in Tom Cruise film Valkyrie.
Early career roles included television series Saved by the Bell: The New Class and The Baby-Sitters Club film.
In his native Germany, Oliver starred for two seasons in popular police action-drama Alarm fur Cobra 11.