Search Called Off for Victims in Avanti II Crash

Costa Rican authorities recently ended the search for the six occupants of a Piaggio Avanti II that crashed on October 21 in the Caribbean Sea. The Germany-registered, privately operated turboprop twin disappeared from air traffic control radar about 17 miles from its intended destination of Puerto Limón Airport after a flight from Palenque Airport in Mexico.

Presumed killed in the accident was the pilot and his five passengers, including German billionaire Rainer Schaller. The day after the crash, the remains of a minor and an adult, as well as several parts of the aircraft fuselage and personal belongings, were found in the general location where the aircraft dropped off the radar.

“After 11 days of continuous operation, the different institutions of the Ministry of Public Security, Air Surveillance, Coast Guard, and land police have concluded the search efforts as no more evidence has been found,” vice minister of public security Martin Arias said yesterday. “Today, we are officially closing the search case of the plane crash in the Caribbean.”

Schaller was the founder of the McFit gym chain and, according to the German newspaper Bild, was traveling on the aircraft with his partner and two children, as well as another person. In 2020, his company acquired the U.S. fitness chain Gold's Gym.