Actor Christian Oliver Dies in Caribbean Plane Crash With 2 Daughters
Speed Racer actor Christian Oliver and his two daughters, Madita and Annik, died in a plane crash on Thursday, January 4.
Oliver (born Christian Klepser) died at age 51 when the small plane he was traveling in crashed into the sea off a Caribbean island, per a Friday, January 5, report from Deadline. Along with Annik, 12, and Madita, 10, the plane’s pilot and owner also died in the incident.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Authorities reported that the single-engine plane had taken off from an airport on Bequia, an island that is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Oliver and his daughters were on their way to St. Lucia when the plane crashed.
“Moments after taking off, the aircraft experienced difficulties and plummeted into the ocean. Fishermen and divers from Paget Farm went to the scene of the incident in their boats to render assistance,” read a statement from the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force shared via Facebook. “The SVG Coast Guard was informed and quickly traveled to Paget Farm, Bequia, to lead in the rescue efforts.”
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Oliver shared his two daughters with ex-wife Jessica Muroz, whom he filed for divorce from in December 2021, according to the Daily Mail.
Days prior to his sudden death, Oliver posted a photo from his Caribbean vacation via Instagram.
“Greetings from somewhere in paradise!” he captioned a photo of the beach. “To community and love …2024 here we come !”
The German actor made his Hollywood debut in 1994, starring as Brian Keller in Saved by the Bell: The New Class. He appeared in various movie and TV roles over the years but is best known for playing Snake Oiler in 2008’s Speed Racer. He also appeared alongside Tom Cruise in 2009’s Valkyrie as Sergeant-Major Adam.
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Before his death, Oliver had completed his fifth project with director Nick Lyon, a film titled Forever Hold Your Peace.
“And that’s a wrap !” Oliver wrote via Instagram in December 2023, teasing the film. “Looking forward to 2024 !”
Lyon gushed about Oliver and their latest project in an Instagram post on Friday.
“This is our 5th film together. @christianoliverofficial and me produced this one, and this is our last day of filming!” Lyon wrote, sharing a snap from the set of Forever Hold Your Peace. “We talked about producing a film together for years and finally did it! Thank you for being a great colleague, actor and friend.”
