Costa Rica Plane Crash: 10 Americans Among Dead

GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA — Ten Americans were among those killed in a New Years' Eve plane crash in Costa Rica, the country's government said.

The Nature Air charter plane departed on Sunday afternoon from Punta Islita, bound for San Jose when it crashed in the woods of Guanacaste, said Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica Civil Aviation. All 12 people — including two local crewmembers — on board were killed.

A report says that among the dead were a married couple from Clearwater, Florida and their two children.

Photos and video of the burning wreckage were posted online by the country's Public Safety Ministry.

So far, authorities only have a list of passengers provided by the airline. They're awaiting official confirmation of their identities, authorities said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The pilot was identified as Juan Manuel Retana. Cubillo said Retana was very experienced. Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla said on Twitter that Retana was her cousin.

The same plane arrived in Punta Islita on Sunday morning from San Jose and was delayed in landing by strong winds, Cubillo said.

Nature Air did not respond to phone and email messages.

The newspaper La Nacion identified five of the victims as members of the same Scarsdale, New York, family.

The Americans were Thibault Astruc, Amanda Geissler, Charles Palmer, Bruce Steinberg, Irene Steinberg, Matthew Steinberg, William Steinberg, Zachary Steinberg, Leslie Weiss and Sherry Wuu

Photos credit: Costa Rica's Civil Aviation press office via AP