US Plane Crashes into Ocean near Jamaica

A private plane on a flight from Rochester, New York, to Florida crashed in to the ocean off Jamaica on Friday, officials said.

Two people aboard the plane, a real estate executive and his wife, both died most probably due to hypoxia - a lack of oxygen possibly caused by a sudden drop in cabin pressure, according to  North American Aerospace Defense Command  ( NORAD), reports The Washington Post.

The plane, a   Socata TBM-700, which took off from Greater Rochester International Airport before 8.30 a.m. was expected to land at Naples Municipal Airport at noon.

However, the pilot stopped replying to the radio calls from the air traffic controllers at 10 a.m.  , said a spokeswoman of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reports The Washington Post.

The air traffic controllers of FAA continued to track the plane.  The FAA also contacted the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) for assistance.  NORAD then send two F-16 fighter jets for intercepting the plane.  The F 16 jets later handed over the escort of the plane to two F-15 fighter jets from Florida.

But the fighter jet pilots were not able to establish contact with the occupants of the plane. They, however, noticed that the plane' windows were frosted, said Army Maj. Beth Smith, a NORAD spokeswoman, according to USA TODAY.

The Socata TBM-700 eventually crashed in to the ocean around 14 miles off the coast of Port Antonio in Jamaica at 2.15 p.m.

The owner of the plane was Larry Glazer, a Rochester developer, who owns the Buckingham properties.

After the plane crash, officials have confirmed that Glazer and his wife, Jane, were on the plane. 

"I join the residents of Rochester during this difficult week in mourning the loss of Larry and Jane Glazer in today's tragic plane crash," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "The Glazers were innovative and generous people who were committed to revitalizing downtown Rochester and making the city they loved a better place for all. I offer my deepest condolences to the Glazers' family and friends during this difficult and trying time," he added.

Glazer co- founded the Buckingham properties in 1970.  He managed more than 50 properties totaling over 9 million square feet in the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes region," reports The Guardian citing Buckingham Properties Website.