Air Transport

Twenty people are now confirmed to have died when a Grumman G73 Mallard amphibian of Chalks Ocean Airways crashed into the sea off Florida's Miami Beach..

Investigators believe that an amateur video of the accident, apparently showing it breaking up in mid-air accompanied by a fiery explosion, may provide important evidence of what happened on the Miami-Bimini, Bahamas flight. There were no survivors.

The aircraft was operating fully loaded on a daily schedule under visual flight rules. Conditions were good at the time of the incident, which occurred about 14:30.

The occupants are reported by Chalks as having been two pilots, 15 adult passengers and three infants. They are the first passengers to die in the 86 year-history of the airline - one of the best-known small carriers in the USA.

The US FAA identifies the aircraft as N2969, which was built in 1947 and had scheduled maintenance in February 2003. Chalk's Mallards are known as G73T Turbo Mallards, having been re-engined with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprops.