In a tragic incident, American actor Christian Oliver, known for his roles in films such as "The Good German" and "Valkyrie," and his two young daughters, Madita and Annik, perished in a plane crash in the Caribbean.
The small aircraft they were aboard "plummeted into the ocean" shortly after takeoff from an island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, according to official reports.
The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) confirmed the incident, stating that the single-engine aircraft, owned and operated by Robert Sachs, a resident of Bequia Island, crashed into the sea approximately one nautical mile west of Petit Nevis Island around noon on Thursday.
The RSVGPF detailed in a Facebook post, "The aircraft went airborne from the J.F. Mitchell Airport in Paget Farm about 12:11 p.m. for St. Lucia as its final destination. Moments after taking off, the aircraft experienced difficulties and plummeted into the ocean."
The victims were identified as Sachs, Oliver, who was professionally known as Christian Klepser, and his daughters, Madita, 10, and Annik, 12. Oliver's career spanned several high-profile projects, including working with Steven Soderbergh in "The Good German" alongside Cate Blanchett and George Clooney, Brian Singer and Tom Cruise in "Valkyrie," and the Wachowskis in "Speed Racer" and "Sense8," as per his website. He also featured in a 1995 film adaptation of the popular book series, "The Baby-Sitters Club."
Just four days prior to the incident, Oliver posted a picture on Instagram of people congregating on a beach, captioning it, "Greetings from somewhere in paradise! To community and love 2024 here we come!"
Actress Bai Ling, who was collaborating with Oliver on the upcoming film "Forever Hold Your Peace," expressed her disbelief and grief on Instagram, stating, "I just could not believe it is the truth, the last we worked filming in Hollywood was December 20th 2023, just right before Christmas." She remembered Oliver as a hardworking, brave actor, and a gentle person, adding, "And his daughters were so so young."
Fox News Digital reached out to Olivers representatives, who have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the incident.
The RSVGPF reported that the bodies of the victims were recovered from the wreckage by Coast Guard personnel and were later pronounced deceased by a medical practitioner. The cause of the crash remains unclear, and an investigation is underway.
Local news outlet Searchlight reported that Sachs, the pilot, owned a dive business in Bequia and had last radioed the airports control tower to inform them that he was experiencing difficulties and was turning around.
The bodies have since been transported to the island of St. Vincent for examination by a medical examiner. The RSVGPF expressed condolences to all affected by the tragic incident, promising to update the public as more information becomes available.
Login