ST. IGNACE, Mich., July 14 (UPI) -- A 13-year-old Israeli boy was the only survivor of a private plane crash in Michigan that killed his grandfather, two sisters and a cousin, officials say.
Yossi Menora was thrown from the twin-engine Beech Baron when it crashed shortly after takeoff from the Mackinac County Airport Tuesday evening, the Chicago Tribune reports.
The boy suffered severe burns and was airlifted to a Michigan hospital.
His grandfather, Moshe Menora, 73, of Skokie, Ill., was killed in the crash along with his sisters, Rikki, 17, and Racheli, 15, and cousin Sarah Klein, 17, all of Israel.
Menora had just refueled the aircraft and was taking off when he encountered difficulties, authorities said.
The plane hit the median of I-75, flipped over and immediately burst into flames, WPBN-WTOM TV, Traverse City, Mich. reported.
The plane was registered to Tri-United Inc. of Skokie where friends said Menora was chief executive.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.