PAHOKEE, Fla. (AP) - Four of the five people who were killed in a small plane crash in Florida’s Lake Okeechobee were lawyers from a South Florida law firm.
The Palm Beach Post reports that four of the passengers were attorneys at the Peterson Bernard law firm.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday identified the deceased as Eduardo Mulet, of West Palm Beach, Florida; Eric Peterson, of Lighthouse Point, Florida; Matthew Fiorello, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; Heather Bridwell, of Jupiter, Florida; and Edwin Mortell, of Stuart, Florida.
All but Mulet were attorneys at the firm. Mulet was a licensed commercial pilot.
The sheriff’s office said Saturday that their bodies were recovered from the plane’s fuselage by divers from the sheriff’s office and the fire department.
The twin-engine Piper aircraft went down Friday about 400 yards (365 meters) from the giant lake’s southeast shore, just north of the Pahokee Airport, according to the sheriff’s office.
Records show the plane had taken off from Tampa International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash.
Heather Bridwell’s husband told the newspaper that the lawyers were returning from a meeting with a client when the crash took place.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.