Sarasota Man Was One Of 3 Sailors Lost In Pacific Plane Crash

SARASOTA, FL - Lt. Steven Combs, pilot of the U.S. Navy transport plane that crashed in the Philippine Sea on Saturday, was from Sarasota. Two other sailors died in the crash.

The other sailors were identified as Airman Matthew Chialastri and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso. Grosso also was a Florida native and Chialastri was from Louisiana.

“The Navy came to our house a couple hours later and told my parents he was among the missing and that is really the day our world stopped,” Elizabeth Combs, Lt. Combs’ sister, told News Channel 8. “I tried to call him and it didn’t go through. And that is when I kind of started to know that this wasn’t good.”

She added: “We are just so so proud of him. Even though he couldn’t come home, he made it so eight others could. That’s really the only way we are getting through this.”

Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet, said in a statement: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these sailors. Their service and sacrifice will be lasting in Seventh Fleet and we will continue to stand the watch for them, as they did bravely for all of us."

The C-2A "Greyhound" was flying to the USS Ronald Reagan when the twin-propeller plane crashed on Wednesday.

Eight people were rescued quickly and were in good condition, but Japanese and U.S. ships and aircraft had continued searching for the others. The crash was about 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa, Japan. It was transporting passengers and cargo from Japan to the aircraft carrier.

The Reagan was participating in a joint exercise with Japan's navy when it crashed. The carrier was leading the search and rescue efforts along with Japan's naval forces.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pictured from left to right: Lt. Steven Combs, Airman Matthew Chialastri, Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso, Photos via U.S. Navy

Read the News Channel 8 story here.