The man and woman killed in a Wednesday ultralight crash on Dewees Island had a zest for life and enjoyed the open water.
In addition to operating a successful dry-cleaning business, Mount Pleasant resident Lucas Smith was a gifted boat captain and a dad.
Cara Lee “Carley” Donohue, who also died in the accident, worked as Smith's first mate aboard several yachts
“Lucas was really the best yachtsman in Charleston,” said Chris McIntire, owner of Motoryacht Southern Comfort, for which Smith captained several boats. “Carley loved life. I trusted her and Lucas completely.”
Investigators say Smith and Donohue died Wednesday evening when a so-called “flying boat” they were riding in crashed on the beach at Dewees Island.
The craft, which is essentially an inflatable boat with a parasailing wing and fan attached, took off but immediately encountered trouble, said Major Jim Brady, spokesman for the Charleston County Sheriff. It crashed on the beach, and the two were already dead when reached by emergency workers.
McIntire said no one took water safety more seriously than Smith.
“He wasn’t an extreme sports kind of guy,” McIntire said. “He wasn’t the kind of guy to swim with sharks or jump out of a plane. He got rid of his kite board because it scared him too much.”
In addition to operating boats for McIntire, Smith also captained his own yacht, the Osprey, a wooden yacht he spent years restoring.
The Federal Aviation Administration regulates light sport aircraft. Spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said Smith’s craft was not properly registered. The FAA investigation is ongoing.
Smith, 40, leaves a wife and two children, an 18-year-old and an 18 month old. Donohue, 27, is a native of Louisville, Ky. McIntire said he had not yet spoken with her family.
“These were really two of our best people,” said McIntire, who operates six yachts from the Charleston City Marina.
“There’s a big hole here today, and next week the trip they were supposed to be on will go out without them. That’s going to be hard.”
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