joekb2yhs

Jose Wejebe, host of a fishing show on the Outdoor Channel, died Friday when he crashed his single-engine plane in a field near Everglades City in Collier County. The plane had just taken off from Everglades Airpark around 4:40 p.m., but it didn’t get far. “Something happened to the plane and it crash landed in a field just off the runway,” said Jamie Mosbach, spokeswoman for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. The plane then burst into flames. The aircraft was registered to Wejebe, 54, who was flying alone. The Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation to determine the crash’s cause, Mosbach said. Florida Keys resident Wejebe was the host of “Spanish Fly,” a weekly fishing show that took viewers on journeys from the Keys to Costa Rica and Brazil. Andrew Bostick, 48, of Marco Island, met Wejebe 30 years ago on a fishing trip, and was always impressed with his ability. Bostick said Wejebe had a natural talent, which, combined with his innovative ideas, made him a celebrity fishing guide in the Keys. “He was greatly loved by everyone in the fishing community,” Bostick said. Wejebe was loved for attributes beyond his fishing talent, such as his friendly demeanor. “Jose was just a wonderful person to be around,” Bostick said. When not fishing, Wejebe volunteered at several charities, including the Make a Wish Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters. He also had a newfound passion of flying private planes, according to the “Spanish Fly” website. Fans offered condolences on Wejebe’s Facebook page, which has more than 66,000 fans. Commenters applauded Wejebe’s talent, offered prayers to his family and lamented the hole he his death leaves in their lives. The fisherman passed far before his time, Bostick said. “It’ll be a definite shock. It’ll be the talk around the fishing world,” he said. “He will certainly be missed.”