Four people were killed Monday morning after the plane they were in crashed in a mangrove swamp just off Grand Bahama.

The victims’ names, nationalities, nor flight information have been released pending notification of next of kin.

Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin first announced that three people were killed in the crash that happened around 10:15 yesterday morning, but it was later revealed that four people had perished.

“There was the ditching of an American-registered aircraft, N340MM, a twin Cessna, which crashed five miles outside of Freeport,” she reported in the House of Assembly. “The Bahamas Air Sea Rescue (BASRA) officials are on the scene and I’m told that the crash happened in a swamp area.

“All persons on board perished and the matter is under investigation.”

According to international reports, the US Coast Guard is assisting Bahamian authorities with the search and cleanup effort.

It was also reported that the plane left Ormond Beach Municipal Airport near Daytona Beach, Florida and lost communication at one point.

Chairman of BASRA Grand Bahama Justin Snisky said they deployed their workers just after 11:00 a.m. to assist with search and rescue efforts, but weather conditions hindered most of that.

“Our personnel on board had to walk to the scene about a half a mile and once they got there they were able to do a search of the immediate area and at which time it was determined that there were no survivors,” Mr. Snisky said.

“At that time the tide was on its way down and a recovery effort at that time would have been unsuccessful so they made their way back to the rescue boat to regroup and set up a plan.

“Next we go into the investigation aspect to find out the exact cause of the crash. Access to the plane itself at high tide, we’re looking at eight inches, low tide, the plane is high and dry and sitting in the muddy mangrove area. A team will be taken out (this morning) at high tide to conduct the investigations.”

Photos of the wreckage circulated on the Internet yesterday showing the devastation and what appear to be parts of the plane blown off.

Investigations into the crash are ongoing.