The Police have identified and confirmed the death of a pilot in a small plane crash near Highgate in St Mary on Friday morning.

He is Dudley Beek.

Beek and another occupant of the plane were airlifted to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

The other individual is said to be responding well to treatment.

Reports from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), states that, Mr Beek was unresponsive when he arrived at the UHWI. It is reported that the small aircraft was enroute from Tinson Pen to Boscobel in his Eurocoupe.

Beek was among four generations of pilots in his family and is a former commanding officer for the Jamaica Defence Force, Air Wing Reserves and an engineer.

Close friends of Mr Beek shared high praises for the former JDF Officer, noting that he “enjoyed crop spraying for many years and was considered a very competent and well trained Pilot.”