Search called off for Christian Kath after fatal Florida plane crash

Authorities have ended the search for a missing former Gympie man following a plane crash which killed his wife and his eldest daughter. The youngest daughter, who survived, is reported to be heading back to Australia.

The search for a former Gympie man whose family was killed in a light plane crash off the Florida coast has been called of despite his body remaining missing.

Christian Kath and his wife Misty, 43, and their 12-year-old daughter Lily were flying over the Gulf of Mexico when their light plane went down near Venice Beach on Saturday.

The family had been returning to their hometown of St Petersburg after taking a trip to Venice for dinner.

Mr Kath was piloting the plane.

The Kath’s other daughter, aged 10, was sleeping over at a friend’s place when the tragedy occurred.

Misty and Christian Kath, and their daughter Lily, 12, were killed in a light plane crash off the Florida coast. Pic: Facebook

The bodies of Misty and Lily have been found; Mr Kath is presumed dead.

At midday Wednesday American-time (early Thursday morning AEDST) American authorities said they have called off the search after several days.

Police said this was due to the size of the search area now being greater than 2000 square nautical miles.

Boaters in the area have been alerted to the possibility of a “body or small aircraft debris” floating in the area.

American news outlet Channel 10 Tampa Bay has reported the youngest daughter is now travelling back to Australia to be with family.

Authorities have called off the search for Mr Kath’s body, saying the search area now exceeds 2000 square nautical miles. Boaters in the area have been alerted to the possibility of a body or debris floating in the area.

Mr Kath’s Gympie-based father, Chris, told Seven News the daughter had been trying to text her parents asking when they would be coming to pick her up.

Mr Kath had been living in the United States for five and working as a successful businessman.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has been assisting members of the Kath family in Australia.

After completing school in Gympie, Mr Kath moved to Dagun, just south of Gympie.

Christian Kath, 43, had been piloting the plane when it crashed. The family were returning to their St Petersburg home following a trip to Venice for dinner.

He first worked as an operating manager of Kenilworth Cheese and then Superbee, before eventually relocating to Chicago and then Florida.

Family friend Caleb McGuire, speaking with 2GB radio’s Ben Fordham Wednesday, said Mr Kath wanted to return to Australia soon.

“He wanted to come back and get his kids back into the school system … and be brought up as Australians,” Mr McGuire said.

“He was such a proud Queenslander; he wanted to bring his kids to Queensland and bring them up in that culture and nurturing environment.”