BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A South Florida doctor died on the Fourth of July in a small plane crash in western Broward County.
Dr. Michael Russin, an orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Mount Sinai Medical Center, died in Monday morning's crash in the Everglades, according to a media release issued by the hospital.
He was the only one on the plane.
The doctor's single-engine plane was found just before 6:30 a.m. east of U.S. Highway 27, about seven miles north of Interstate 75 in unincorporated Broward County, Broward Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion said.
The plane took off from Boca Raton Airport at about 5 p.m. Sunday and crashed about a half-hour later, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
Russin's family reported the plane missing at 12:19 a.m. Monday, Florida Civil Air Patrol Capt. Ty Lanhen said.
"Florida Civil Air Patrol immediately began a full-scale response," Lanhen said.
Lanhen said the plane was found in a swampland shortly after sunrise.
The FAA said the plane was heading to Opa-locka Executive Airport.
Russin's body was buried under the mangled wreckage.
Russin's scrub nurse Nancy Nunez said the doctor was an "amazing surgeon, father and friend."
Mount Siani Medical Center issues a statement about Russin's passing:
"All of us at Mount Sinai Medical Center are deeply saddened by the unfortunate passing of Dr. Michael Russin. Michael enjoyed life and the practice of medicine. He and his family have a legacy of caring for patients at Mount Sinai. He and his twin brother, David, treated patients at our medical center for decades, and their father was once our chief of orthopedics. Michael will be missed by the entire Mount Sinai family. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends and wish them comfort during this time."
#Everglades #planecrash @BrowardSheriff #FireRescue Airboat 106 heading to crash site w/extrication tools pic.twitter.com/p67wJf8scF
— PIO Mike Jachles (@PIOMikeJ) July 4, 2016