VENICE, Fla., July 29 (UPI) -- A 9-year-old Georgia girl vacationing in Florida died Tuesday after getting struck by a plane on Sunday in a tragic accident that killed her father as well.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Officer has confirmed that Oceana Irizarry died Tuesday morning at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. Oceana's father, Army Sgt. 1st Class Ommy Irizarry, died Sunday when a small single-engine plane crash landed into the pair on the beach where they were vacationing to celebrate the Irizarry's ninth wedding anniversary.
At roughly 2:45 p.m. Sunday, 57-year-old engineer Karl Kokomoor signaled that he had lost power and was unable to make it to Venice Airport, instead attempting to land his plane on the beach.
"There is no control tower at the Venice Airport but what pilots do is communicate over a common radio frequency -- they communicate their intentions with each other," Venice Municipal Airport Manager Chris Rozansky explained to local reporters. "So when the aircraft made their distress call, someone here at the airport heard it and called 911."
By the time police and emergency responders arrived the crash had already occurred, fatally injuring Ommy and Oceana.
"This is a heart-wrenching situation, especially losing loved ones while on vacation to celebrate a family milestone," 3rd Infantry Division and Stewart-Hunter commander Maj. Gen. Mike Murray wrote in a formal statement.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Irizarry family."
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