A Miami family is desperately searching for four loved ones who disappeared while flying from Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas to Miami on Monday morning.

The missing passengers have been identified by relatives as 80-year-old pilot Mario Lamar, his 79-year-old wife Lili Lamar, and their grandchildren, 28-year-old Sofia Sosa and 22-year-old Christian Sosa.

The family had spent Labor Day weekend at their longtime home on Great Harbour Cay, enjoying beautiful sunsets before preparing to return home.

The family first became concerned when their group chat suddenly went quiet.

Sofia had sent a message saying they were flying home. That was the last communication the family received. Hours later, their messages went unanswered.

Relatives then checked the aircraft’s flight data.

The aircraft, a Piper PA-34 Seneca, was last seen on radar around 11 a.m. FlightAware data showed the aircraft’s speed changing rapidly before its altitude dropped from around 10,000 feet to approximately 3,700 feet in just three minutes. The flight path also appeared to make a loop before the data disappeared.

The U.S. Coast Guard is assisting the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in the search for the aircraft and its four occupants.

As of 5 p.m., Bahamian authorities said the search had “yielded negative results.”

The search is focused near Andros Island, where the aircraft’s recorded path crossed an area experiencing rough weather.

Relatives say Mario was a highly experienced pilot who carefully maintained the aircraft and had the required safety equipment on board.

Another family member has already traveled to Andros, where he plans to obtain a boat and help with the search.

“Please help,” Silvia Larrieu, Mario and Lili’s niece, said in an emotional appeal. “If you can help with search and rescue efforts, we would greatly appreciate it. We need to bring them home.”

The family continues to hope for answers and, above all, the safe return of their four loved ones.