PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday morning released the identities of the 10 people aboard a floatplane that crashed off Whidbey Island on Sunday.
The pilot was identified as Jason Winters.
USCG reports the nine passengers were Patricia Hicks, Sandra Williams, Lauren Hilty, Ross Mickel, Remy Mickel — a child, Luke Ludwig, Rebecca Ludwig, Joanne Mera and Gabrielle Hanna.
USCG said the body recovered by a good Samaritan on Sunday was taken to the Island County coroner but their identity has not been confirmed yet. The name of that person will be released after their family has been notified.
“The Coast Guard offers its deepest sympathies to those who lost a loved one in this tragedy,” said Cmdr. Xochitl Castañeda, the Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator for this incident.
The search was suspended on Monday afternoon after an extensive search.
“It’s a tough decision we have to make, its not something we make very easily. My heart goes out to the families, its just really, really hard to just loose people suddenly like that,” Scott Giard, director of the U.S. Coast Guard’s search and rescue for the Pacific Northwest, said.
The sea plane reportedly left Friday Harbor on Sunday and was headed to Renton Municipal Airport. It crashed in Mutiny Bay, off Whidbey Island.
The cause of the crash is still not known.
The National Transportation Safety Board is handling the investigation.