SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida flight school with a lengthy history of fatal crashes is closing down days after two of its planes collided over the Everglades, killing four people.
Robert Dean, the owner of Dean International Flight School in Southwest Miami-Dade, addressed the crash during a small memorial service held for the victims, Monday afternoon.
“We just can’t live with ourselves to know that this took place,” he said.
According to Miami-Dade Police, two small planes collided in midair near 22700 SW 8th St., just after 1 p.m., Tuesday.
“Holy [expletive], the planes just [expletive] fell,” someone is heard saying on cellphone video of the crash.
That day, crews recovered two bodies at the wreckage of a plane, and a third was found near the wreckage of the second aircraft. The fourth body was located Wednesday morning.
Police identified the victims as 19-year-old Nisha Sejwal, 22-year-old Carlo Alfredo, 22-year-old Jorge Sanchez and 72-year-old Ralph Knight.
Teachers and students from Dean International mourned the victims at Monday’s service.
“We pray that your peace and your love would be upon them,” said the man officiating the service.
Students were surprised to learn of the flight school’s closure.
“[Robert Dean] comes in the morning, and he says, ‘Who told you the school is open? The school is closed, actually. Leave outside,'” said student Basil Aladwani. “Yes, that’s what he said.”
The news left students concerned about their flying future and worried about being in limbo, as they wait for refunds and search for new instruction.
“We have 300 students over there, from India from Saudi Arabia, from all the countries, from Egypt, from all the countries, from South Africa, from all the countries, and they never said anything to us,” said Aladwani. “What are we going to do now? Nothing. We are just looking for him, and he is not giving any comment.”
But Dean told 7News that, while no more flying lessons will take place, the school’s office will remain open to liquidate assets, reimburse students and help them find training elsewhere.
“Whichever school that they go to, they will be in the same position that they left here,” said Dean.
Before Tuesday’s crash, Dean International was rocked by a series of tragedies. Over the past two decades, the school has been involved in over a dozen crashes and emergency landings.
Now, after having trained about 8,000 pilots, Dean International is turning in its wings.
Dean said no one is forcing him to close the school, but after what happened last week, the time has come.
“We met with our lawyers, and they met with everything, and that’s basically our decision,” said Dean.
The school currently has 200 students enrolled. He plans to keep the office for about three months to help them transition to other schools.
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