The mother of an 11-year-old girl who was the sole survivor of a plane crash has said her husband died protecting her as the aircraft went down.
Mike Perdue was one of four people killed in the light-commuter plane crash near Michigan's Beaver Island in the United States on Saturday.
His wife Christina said he saved her daughter from more serious injuries by hugging her in the last few moments of his life.
"Laney told me in the hospital that her last memory is that dad just grabbed her and held her really, really tight, and in my heart I know that protected her," she told ABC.
She said Laney "has a long road ahead of her" and has been hospitalised with five broken bones.
Mrs Perdue said her daughter was only injured on one side of her body thanks to her father's embrace.
"I believe that it would make sense to me that her injuries were on the one side, and the other side was with her dad, that he was holding her," she said, choking up.
Mrs Perdue said she did not know the extent of Laney's injuries when she arrived at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, where her daughter had been airlifted after the crash.
"She just said 'Hi, mom, hi mom,' and so I just knew at that moment that that part was going to be OK," she said.
Family friend Ryan Wojan told CNN Mrs Perdue "wanted to be sure that everyone knew who he was and how he gave his life for his daughter".
"He cradled her in his arms," he said. "She doesn't remember anything, except for her daddy squeezing her so hard."
Mr Wojan, who flew to Beaver Island on the same plane three hours before the crash, said he and Mr Perdue were meeting for a hunting trip, while the girl was going to a family friend's for the weekend.
The flight between the town of Charlevoix and Welke Airport, on Beaver Island at the north end of the Great Lake, was coming into land when the crash happened, according to NBC25.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Britton-Norman BN2P plane crashed around 2.30pm local time (7.30pm UK).
Couple Kate Leese and Adam Kendall, who were taking their dogs to the vet on the plane, have been named as two of the victims by CNN who spoke to a family member.
Kate's sister, Amanda Danielle Leese, told the outlet the couple were "meant for each other".
The pilot of the plane was the fourth victim, according to Charlevoix County Sheriff Lieutenant William Church.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
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