Florida Beach Plane Crash: Father Was Iraq Veteran, Fund Established For Family

A tragic accident has claimed the lives of an Iraq war veteran and his daughter in a Florida beach, after a plane crashed as it attempted an emergency landing. The father was killed instantly, while the young girl died from her injuries on Tuesday. A memorial fund has been established to help the devastated family.

What was supposed to be some quality family time ended in tragedy when Ommy Irizarry, 36, and Oceana Irizzary, 9, were struck by an airplane that lost control and had to make an emergency crash landing on the beach. Neither the pilot, identified as Karl Kokomoor, 57, of Englewood, Florida, nor the passenger on the plane, David Theen, 60, also of Englewood, were injured in the incident.

The Go Fund Me page — established by a friend of the Florida beach plane crash victims — offers some more background on the Irizarry family:

“Ommy was a Sgt. 1st Class serving 12 years in the Army, having completed two tours to Iraq. He was well respected by the soldiers under his command. He was also a committed family man, husband and father. I have had the distinct pleasure in spending time with him and his family, and speak from the heart when I say he was funny, had a contagious smile and laugh, and there was no doubt the love and adoration he felt for his wife Rebecca, daughters Oceana and Ava, and his son Ommy.”

The family was walking along Caspersen Beach in Sarasota County — located on Florida’s west coast — when the accident happened. Ommy Irizarry was killed on impact, according to authorities, while his daughter was critically injured and passed away on Tuesday.

The Go Fund Me website describes little Oceana as “a spunky, hilarious, quick witted 9 year old who loved the beach and loved her family.”

The Florida plane crash happened in what seemed to be seconds and was so horrific, that a woman walking along the beach suffered stress-induced cardiac issues and required medical attention at the scene, according to an earlier report in The Inquisitr.

Venice Mayor John Holic — a former air traffic controller — believes the plane lost power and was trying to find a safe, open landing spot, when it crashed in the Florida beach.

“One of the first things that you learn when you’re flying is to always be aware of your surroundings and where you may be able to touch down in the event of loss of power. A beach is a viable place,” he told ABC News.

The victim of the Florida beach plane crash, Ommy Irizarry is survived by his wife Rebecca and two other children Ava, and Ommy Jr.

[Image via Go Fund Me]