Nanny Killed In Florida Learjet Crash Was ‘Truly Happy’ on First Bahamas Trip, Sister Recalls Final Video Call Before Tragedy

Ana María Ramírez Cetina was overjoyed about her first trip to the Bahamas when she made what would become her final video call to her sister. During a video call, the 24-year-old Colombian nanny showed her sister the children she cared for and the aircraft she was about to board shortly before the Learjet 60 crashed in Florida, killing all nine people aboard.

Cetina was traveling with the family she worked for when the private jet crashed in Palm Beach County on Nov. 1. Her sister, Angie Ramírez, recalled Ana María’s excitement about the holiday and her disbelief after learning of the tragedy.

“She was very happy. She was truly happy because she had never been to the Bahamas, and even though she was working, she didn’t see it as work. She enjoyed it,” her sister said.

Angie sent Ana María a video of her young son, and the nanny promised to watch it after landing. She never got the chance.

Nanny’s Final Video Call

Ana María called Angie shortly before boarding the plane and appeared very excited about the journey. Angie later described her difficulty believing that her sister had been aboard the aircraft when news of the crash emerged.

“I couldn’t really believe that she was on the plane,” Angie said. “I couldn’t quite believe it. I saw a lot of videos and stuff and couldn’t believe that it was the plane that she was on.”

“I saw the accident, I saw the flight path, and truthfully, I didn’t want to accept that it might be my sister on the plane,” she added.

“But later, my mom called me on Monday morning and confirmed to me that yes, it was the flight Ana Maria was on.”

Angie also said that the family is devastated by the loss.

“My sister and I shared so many things together. We have so many memories,” Angie remembered, adding that she last saw her sister in July.

“Something that will stay with me forever was that she was there through my whole journey with my son, from the beginning until the day I had him, through my postpartum recovery, she was right there,” she said in reference to the birth of her child. “She adored my son. He was practically the apple of her eye. She and I were inseparable.”

Who Was Ana María Ramírez Cetina?

Ana María was a Colombian national who moved to the United States around two years ago with her mother in search of better opportunities.

She had trained as a biomedical engineer and graduated from ECCI University in Bogotá, Colombia. However, after moving to the U.S., she struggled to find work in her chosen field and eventually began working as a nanny.

She joined the Robinson family in January and cared for their two children, Emma and Charlie.

Ana María developed a close relationship with the family and loved looking after the children, her sister said.

The Robinsons considered her much more than an employee. In a statement following the crash, they said: “She was a gentle and loving carer to our children Emma and Charlie and has become a member of our family.”

Nine People Killed in Learjet Crash

Ana María was one of seven passengers and two pilots aboard the Learjet 60 when it departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas on Nov. 1, bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

The passengers included technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and Ana María.

Captain Jeff Gregory and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras were operating the aircraft.

According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the crew reported moderate turbulence and light clear-air icing while flying at approximately 35,000 feet.

The pilots subsequently requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds later, the aircraft reported an overspeed condition and began descending rapidly. The crew then issued a Mayday call.

The Learjet crashed in Palm Beach County near West Palm Beach, killing everyone aboard.

Investigation Into the Crash Continues

The NTSB is investigating what caused the aircraft to lose control.

Investigators have recovered important aircraft components several miles from the crash site, raising questions about whether parts separated before impact.

A substantial portion of the aircraft’s left elevator was recovered. The component is part of the tail and helps control the aircraft’s pitch.

However, investigators have not established whether its separation contributed to the crash or determined the definitive cause of the disaster.

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