BAHAMAS. (THECOUNT) — Billionaire coal tycoon Chris Cline‘s daughter, Kameron Cline, her sorority sisters, Brittney Searson and Jillian Clark, have been identified as among seven victims killed in a helicopter crash off the coast of the Bahamas July Fourth.
The helicopter was en route to Florida. All seven passengers were killed. Kameron, Brittney and Jillian were all May 2019 graduates of LSU.
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“I still can’t believe it,” Greg Cline, Chris’ older brother, told The Palm Beach Post on Friday. “It’s like a dream … We were so close, all of us were,” reports MSN.
The Cline family confirmed the passing of Chris and Kameron Cline and spoke about the absence their deaths will leave.
“We are all so deeply saddened … This loss will be felt by all those who had the privilege of having known them,” the family said.
Chris, his family said, “was one of West Virginia’s strongest sons, an American original, full of grit, integrity, intelligence and humor, a testament that our hopes and dreams are achievable when we believe and commit ourselves to action.”
Louisiana State University also referenced other media reports confirming the three victims were recent graduates from LSU.
Officials with the university issued the following statement regarding the accident:
“The LSU community is mourning the loss of three recent graduates, along with all of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident. Kameron, Jillian and Brittney were all May 2019 graduates and had such bright futures ahead of them. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of everyone affected. This is a sad day for all of us.”
The three graduates were confirmed to be Phi Mu sorority sisters.
The Phi Mu Fraternity issued the following statement on their passing:
“I can confirm that three of the people, Jillian Clark, Kameron Cline and Brittney Searson, who perished in a helicopter accident on Thursday, July 4, were young Phi Mu alumnae from the Alpha Eta Chapter at Louisiana State University. Our sympathies are with their families, friends and Phi Mu chapter sisters,” reports WDSU.
Cline, a noted philanthropist and political donor to both Jeb Bush and Donald Trump, was one of seven who perished in the crash that was traveling back to Florida when the chopper went down Thursday.
He was worth $1.8 billion, according to Forbes, having sold a $1.4 billion stake in his Foresight Energy in 2015. He dated Tiger Woods ex, Elin Nordegren, for a short time.
Cline was not married at the time of his death, but made some headlines due to his connection to Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren. The pair were seen dating back in 2013 but reportedly had a rocky relationship due to their conflicting schedules according to PopCulture.
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