Bodies Of Some Puget Sound Plane Crash Victims Recovered

LANGLEY, WA — The bodies of multiple victims as well as most of the wreckage have been recovered from the Labor Day plane crash in Mutiny Bay, authorities told The Seattle Times.

The outlet reported that as of Thursday afternoon, Deputy Director Eric Brooks of Island County Emergency Management wasn’t yet able to confirm the number of bodies found.

The flight, which was traveling from San Juan Island to Seattle, crashed the afternoon of September 4.

The Coast Guard said that the first report came in at 3:11 p.m., and first responders rushed to the scene as the Coast Guard "deployed a rescue helicopter and two cutters, along with three other crews."

Recovery efforts began the next day.

A news release from the United States Coast Guard on the day of the crash said that one child was among the ten victims.

According to the Coast Guard, the pilot was Jason Winters. The nine passengers were Patricia Hicks, Sandra Williams, Lauren Hilty, Ross Mickel, Luke Ludwig, Rebecca Ludwig, Joanne Mera and Gabrielle Hanna, and the child passenger was Remy Mickel.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said that about 80 percent of the plane, including the engine, was “brought to the surface using remotely operated vessels,” according to The Associated Press.

The Seattle Times reports that the cause of the crash has not yet been determined.