JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Federal Aviation Administration says four people died in the plane that crashed in Virginia, yesterday. According to our news partners, one of the victims was identified as 49-year-old Adina Azarian.
Jacksonville resident, Lakhinder Vohra says he met her years ago and it shocked him when he found out she was one of the victims. He says he knew her to be an amazing person.
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“When they posted the second follow-up picture on the post and it was her picture with her daughter,” Vohra said. “I just fell off my chair, I couldn’t believe it.”
John and Barbara Rumpel confirmed with our news partners that a nanny, a pilot, Adina Azarian and her two-and-half-year-old daughter died in this tragedy, Sunday.
Azarian was a luxury real estate agent in the Hamptons. Vohra says he met her about eight years ago at an event in that area.
“I remember taking a picture of her and said ‘Hey, we would be good together or whatever,’” Vohra said.
But they remained friends instead. He says Azarian helped him create his business – the ‘Hamptons Cigar Manufactory.’
“There are very few people like that in the world who are successful and open their hearts like that,” Vohra said.
Vohra says the last time he spoke with her was about three years ago.
“I can’t believe she’s gone,” Vohra said.
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The Rumpels owned the private plane, which was flying from Tennessee to Long Island, New York. But it reversed course and flew over secured airspace.
The Rumpels live in Brevard County and own multiple properties. The City of Jacksonville’s property appraiser lists the Rumpels as owners of The Strand apartment complex on the Southbank.
John and Barbara Rumpel are heartbroken after losing their daughter. They told CBS New York, “I never met a sweeter person than Adina. This is the second daughter I have lost, and she was the most wonderful human being I have ever met,” John Rumpel said. “We adopted her a few years back.”
The cause of the crash is still unconfirmed, but John Rumpel told our news partners that the aircraft may have lost pressurization prompting all on board to lose consciousness from a lack of oxygen.
Action News Jax reached out to Azarian’s sister, but she did not want to comment.
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