A plane with four people on board is believed to have crashed into waters off a Bahamian island on Monday, launching a search for the aircraft.

Sept. 7 (UPI) -- A plane with four people on board is believed to have crashed into waters off a Bahamian island on Monday, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities to launch a search for the aircraft.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that it received a report of the downed aircraft at about 2:20 p.m. EDT. The PA-34 Piper five-seater aircraft had departed Great Harbor Cay at around 11:12 a.m. en route to Opa-Locka, Fla., when it was reported to have gone down in waters off Red Bays on Andros Island in the Bahamas.

According to local authorities, air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft about 13 miles west of Andros Island.

The Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association was contacted.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in a social media statement that it was assisting the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in the search with an HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane.

Inclement weather, however, has since postponed the search, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.

"Efforts to locate the aircraft and its occupants remain a priority," local law enforcement said.

The occupants of the plane have been identified by the family to ABC News as Mario Lamar Sr., 80, Lili Lamar, 79, Sofi Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22.

"The Lamar and Sosa families are deeply grateful to everyone participating in the search and to those who have reached out with support," the family said in a statement.