The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE body of an American second homeowner was discovered on the shore of a beach in James Cistern, Eleuthera, still strapped to an aircraft seat after the plane he was piloting crashed, police said yesterday.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson told The Tribune investigations were still underway as police try to pinpoint the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Mr Ferguson said the man’s family was expected to arrive in Nassau today to identify the victim. In the meantime, he said, police were withholding his name.

However The Eleutheran reported on Saturday that the man is Coy Austin, a former US military pilot and resident of Wykee Estates, Eleuthera. The newspaper said he has been associated with the island for more than 40 years. 

According to authorities, around 8:30am on Friday an American resident on the island was trying to land his Cessna 310 aircraft at the Governor’s Harbour Airport, but was having difficulties because of bad weather.

“The local air traffic controllers directed him to the North Eleuthera Airport,” a police press release said. “The control tower eventually lost communication with the aircraft some time later.”

Later, at around 4:30pm, a resident of James Cistern saw the victim’s body on the shoreline strapped to an aircraft seat.

Police said Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene, where the man was pronounced dead by a local doctor.

The victim was then flown to New Providence on Friday night where an autopsy was expected to determine the exact cause of death, police said.

The Bahamas Flight Standard Inspectorate will also conduct a separate investigation.

The Eleutheran has raised concerns voiced by residents on the island of exactly what took place after the control tower lost contact with the plane.

According to the newspaper, sources on the island said Eleuthera police were made aware of the situation when the man’s body washed up at the beach, nearly eight hours after his landing attempt at Governor’s Harbour.