Tech CEO and family killed in Learjet tragedy had Bahamas birthday plans

Tech CEO and family killed in Learjet tragedy had Bahamas birthday plans The CEO's father-in-law issued a heartbreaking statement after nine people were killed in the Florida plane crash, saying 'it’s quite a blow, we had a daughter, her husband and two grandchildren on the plane' The victims of the Florida Learjet 60 plane crash were heading to the Bahamas to celebrate tech multi-millionaire Adam Robinson’s birthday, it has been reported. Adam was one of the nine people on board who were all killed in the Palm Beach tragedy on Sunday afternoon. He died alongside his wife, Helen Sharp, and their two young children. The family and their friends were planning to spend around a week in the tropical destination to mark the CEO’s birthday, reports TMZ. The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to the Bahamas when it began experiencing problems at around 35,000ft. The plane's captain during the crash on Sunday afternoon has been identified by TMZ as Jeff Gregory, 55, who died alongside his co-pilot, 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. The private jet's passengers have also now been named as tech entrepreneur Adam, 44, Helen, 40, their two children Emma, four, and Charlie, two. The family travelling with their nanny Anita Maria Cetina, and two family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr. Adam set up and ran tech company, Retention. While his wife Helen ran communications firm Influential PR and owns a pottery studio, Helen Sharp Ceramics. Prior to his tech ventures, Adam worked at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital according to his LinkedIn profile. He also founded software firm RB2B. The family lived in Austin, Texas. Following their deaths, Helen's father Dudley Sharp said: "It’s quite a blow. We had a daughter, her husband and two grandchildren on the plane." The families of the passengers - including nanny Anita and family friends Rachael and Charmi - released the following statement: "With broken hearts, our families share that Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina were among those lost aboard the flight that went down near Greenacres, Florida, on November 1. "Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever. Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return. "Charmi and Rachel were full of joy and adventure. They loved their people fiercely, fully and without hesitation. From the moment they met, they were all in on each other and the life they were building. They are deeply loved, and we will miss them endlessly. "Anita Maria cared for Emma and Charlie with tenderness and devotion, and she was truly part of the family. She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion. "We are deeply grateful to the first responders, investigators, and the Palm Beach County community for their care, and to everyone who has reached out with love. Our hearts are also with the families of the pilots, who are grieving alongside us. We ask for privacy as we grieve." The National Transportation Safety Board has sent around 20 investigators to examine the jet’s structures and systems, weather conditions, air traffic control communications and flight-recording equipment. The plane crash landed on a road near hundreds of homes - miraculously no one else was killed, but up to 600 people have been evacuated with no return in sight as investigations continue. Weather will be a major focus of the investigation, with officials examining the severe turbulence, icing and storm conditions encountered before the jet suddenly lost altitude.