Malibu resident and building company owner Mark Benjamin, 63, and his son Luke Benjamin, 28, are believed to have been onboard a plane that crashed at the Santa Monica Airport on Sunday evening.Â
In a statement issued by Benjamin’s company Morley Builders on Monday morning, company Vice President Charles Muttillo said details of the crash remained unclear.
“We are aware of a plane crash at Santa Monica Airport last night,” Muttillo said. “While we do not have specific facts, we believe that our President and CEO, Mark Benjamin, and his son, Luke Benjamin, a Senior Project Engineer with us were on board. We are unable to issue a further statement at this time. We will provide you with more updates as soon as we learn of them.”
Morley Construction is one of the largest construction companies in Southern California and has more than 200 employees with an annual work volume of more than $300 million, according to the company’s site. It specializes in reinforced concrete and steel.
The plane was attempting to land at the airport but veered to the right and collided with a hangar, according to federal officials. There were likely no survivors. The 2003 two-engine Cessna seats eight people but there is no word on whether there were more than two people aboard the flight.
The plane took off from Hailey, Idaho at 5:15 p.m. and crashed in Santa Monica at 6:20 p.m.
Coroner’s officials had yet to retrieve bodies from the charred wreckage of the crash Monday morning as crews worked to secure the site according to the Los Angeles Times.
Benjamin has ties to Idaho, as he is listed as a board of directors member with the Idaho Conservation League.
Benjamin also has roots in Malibu, where he is listed as a supporter of the Malibu Boys and Girls Club and also has an address registered on Morning View Drive.
The Fire Department dispatched six fire engines and four ambulances, but none took victims to the hospital, spokeswoman Bridgett Lewis told the Los Angeles Times. She could not say whether the jet was inside the first hangar at the time it collapsed.
It is unknown how many people were aboard the plane at the time it crashed. Lewis declined to comment on injuries or deaths.
