Rex Minter, a former mayor of Santa Monica, perished when a tiny plane he was traveling in came to rest on the city’s beach on Thursday afternoon, December 2022.
Minter was a passenger in the Cessna that overturned after the pilot touched down on the sand, Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis revealed in a tweet late on Thursday.
Minter was 95 years old, a city representative stated. No one was hurt on the beach.
Flags in front of City Hall will be flown at half-staff, and the City Council meeting in the new year will be adjourned in recognition of Minter’s service, according to the city of Santa Monica.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 1800 block of Santa Monica Beach around 3:17 p.m., according to Capt. Patrick Nulty, a city fire department official.
According to Nulty, the plane touched down on the sand before flipping over into the waves. On board were two passengers, including Minter.
The captain reported that both passengers had been taken to a hospital.
The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the pilot had reported engine problems following takeoff from Santa Monica Airport.
