(CNN) West Virginia coal billionaire and philanthropist Chris Cline and six others died in a helicopter crash near the Bahamas on Thursday, that state's governor said.

"Today we lost a WV superstar and I lost a very close friend," Gov. Jim Justice tweeted. " ... Chris Cline built an empire and on every occasion was always there to give. What a wonderful, loving and giving man."

Six of the victims were from the United States, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.

Police said a helicopter took off from Big Grand Cay around 2 a.m. local time Thursday and was reported missing more than 12 hours later around 2:50 p.m. when it didn't arrive in Fort Lauderdale, its intended destination.

Police officers and residents of Grand Cay discovered the aircraft overturned in 16 feet of water about two miles off Grand Cay in the Abacos and recovered the bodies of four females and three males, police said.

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