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8 People Believed Dead After Planes Collide and Crash Into Idaho Lake 8 People Believed Dead After Planes Collide and Crash Into Idaho Lake
(about 11 hours later)
Five people were confirmed dead and three others were believed to have died after two planes collided in midair and crashed into a lake in Idaho on Sunday afternoon, the authorities said. Six people were confirmed dead and two others were believed to have died after two planes collided in midair and crashed into a lake in Idaho on Sunday afternoon, the authorities said.
“At this point, we don’t anticipate any survivors,” Lt. Ryan Higgins of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said at a news conference on Monday. “We think that everybody is deceased.”“At this point, we don’t anticipate any survivors,” Lt. Ryan Higgins of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said at a news conference on Monday. “We think that everybody is deceased.”
One of the aircraft was a floatplane from a commercial flight operator, carrying five passengers and a pilot, the sheriff’s office said on Monday. The passengers were three children and two adults. Lieutenant Higgins said that one of the adult passengers was the father of the three children. One of the aircraft was a floatplane from a commercial flight operator, carrying five passengers and a pilot, the sheriff’s office said on Monday. The passengers were three children and two adults, including a father with his child and his stepchildren. The father was identified Monday evening by the sheriff’s office as Sean K. Fredrickson, 48, of Oswego Lake, Ore. Mr. Fredrickson’s son, Hayden Fredrickson, 16, and his stepchildren, Sofia Olsen, 15, and Quinn Olsen, 11, all died in the crash, Mr. Fredrickson’s wife, April Fredrickson, told Fox 12 Oregon.
The father was identified Monday evening by the sheriff’s office as Sean K. Fredrickson, 48, of Oswego Lake, Ore. The children, whose names were not given, were identified as an 11-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. The sheriff’s office also identified the pilot of that plane as Neil Lunt, 58 of Liberty Lake, Wash. The sheriff’s office also identified the pilot of that plane as Neil Lunt, 58, of Liberty Lake, Wash.
A sixth passenger of that plane has not yet been identified, the sheriff’s office said. “My family died while they were on an adventure,” Ms. Fredrickson told the local station. “Everyone was so excited to be on that plane. I think that at the end of the day, they died doing what they loved, which was, you know, being together.”
A fifth passenger of that plane has not yet been identified, the sheriff’s office said.
The two people inside the second plane have been identified, but their names were not released pending family notification, according to the sheriff’s office.The two people inside the second plane have been identified, but their names were not released pending family notification, according to the sheriff’s office.
The two planes hit each other and then crashed into Lake Coeur d’Alene, near Powderhorn Bay, at about 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, Lieutenant Higgins said. There was a “pretty bad oil slick” at the scene after the crash, he said, according to KREM-TV.The two planes hit each other and then crashed into Lake Coeur d’Alene, near Powderhorn Bay, at about 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, Lieutenant Higgins said. There was a “pretty bad oil slick” at the scene after the crash, he said, according to KREM-TV.
Both planes were located by the sonar team in 127 feet of water, according to Lieutenant Higgins. He said that crews worked late into Sunday night and would be heading out again on Monday afternoon.Both planes were located by the sonar team in 127 feet of water, according to Lieutenant Higgins. He said that crews worked late into Sunday night and would be heading out again on Monday afternoon.
The recovery effort has been complicated by the depth of the lake, which Lieutenant Higgins said is dangerous for divers.The recovery effort has been complicated by the depth of the lake, which Lieutenant Higgins said is dangerous for divers.
“We don’t want to have any other tragedies to happen from this,” he said.“We don’t want to have any other tragedies to happen from this,” he said.
The plane that was carrying five passengers was operated by Brooks Seaplane, which provides scenic flights and instruction in North Idaho. Noah Lunt, who identified himself as a son of the company’s owner, said in an email that he would not comment until he learned more about what had happened.The plane that was carrying five passengers was operated by Brooks Seaplane, which provides scenic flights and instruction in North Idaho. Noah Lunt, who identified himself as a son of the company’s owner, said in an email that he would not comment until he learned more about what had happened.
On Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane was a de Havilland DHC-2.On Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane was a de Havilland DHC-2.
The second plane was a Cessna 206 that was registered to Echo Rental of Lewiston, Idaho, according to a Federal Aviation Administration database. Lieutenant Higgins said the authorities believed that only two people were aboard.The second plane was a Cessna 206 that was registered to Echo Rental of Lewiston, Idaho, according to a Federal Aviation Administration database. Lieutenant Higgins said the authorities believed that only two people were aboard.
Investigators from the N.T.S.B. were on their way to the scene to conduct an inquiry into the crash, Lieutenant Higgins said on Monday. Plane debris that was found floating on the surface of the lake was collected for the N.T.S.B. and was in storage on Monday afternoon, he said. Investigators from the N.T.S.B. are at the scene to conduct an inquiry into the crash, Lieutenant Higgins said on Tuesday. Plane debris that was found floating on the surface of the lake was collected for the N.T.S.B. and was in storage on Monday afternoon, he said.
It was not immediately clear what led to the crash in Coeur d’Alene, a resort town about 33 miles east of Spokane, Wash. Lieutenant Higgins said that an investigation was underway, and that the N.T.S.B. was assisting.It was not immediately clear what led to the crash in Coeur d’Alene, a resort town about 33 miles east of Spokane, Wash. Lieutenant Higgins said that an investigation was underway, and that the N.T.S.B. was assisting.
Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.