The bodies of the pilot and his 13-year-old son, who were aboard the light aircraft that crashed into the sea on Saturday near the lighthouse at the Puerto de Sóller in Mallorca (Balearic Islands), were recovered on Sunday.
Around 1pm on Sunday, specialists from the Guardia Civil’s Underwater Activities Special Group (GEAS), working as part of a coordinated search operation involving Emergency Services and SASEMAR (Maritime Safety and Rescue), recovered the lifeless bodies of the pilot and his son. Local media reported that the father was a former US Army fighter pilot.
The accident had occurred around 8pm on Saturday, in waters approximately 30 metres deep off the coast near the lighthouse at the Puerto de Sóller.
The two-seater ‘Team Rocket F-4 Raider’ aerobatic aircraft had taken off from the Binissalem airfield around 6pm, two hours before the crash, the Guardia Civil reported.
Wreckage from the aircraft was located on Saturday.
The 112 Emergency Service in the Balearic Islands confirmed that several boats in the area witnessed the crash and spotted debris from the aircraft floating in the water. According to 112, the plane sank after impact.
At 8.07pm on Saturday, the 112 Emergency Service received a call from a witness who had seen the accident occur in front of the lighthouse. Other vessels in the area also reported witnessing the crash.
Emergency responders were immediately deployed, including the Sóller fire station, the GEAS unit, the Guardia Civil and Maritime Rescue services.
An investigation into the circumstances of the crash will be launched by police.
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➡️Recuperados los cuerpos sin vida del piloto de la avioneta caída al mar en Puerto de Sóller y de su hijo https://t.co/4ySU6Xp9bB
— Onda Cero Mallorca (@OCRMallorca) August 4, 2025
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