Five die as twin-engine aircraft crashes in California

Just after 8 p.m. PDT Tuesday, a mobile device automatically signaled 911 dispatchers that its user had been involved in a collision, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. The mobile device provided GPS coordinates of the crash scene, about a mile west of the Catalina Island Airport. There they discovered the wreckage of a twin-engine aircraft, as well as the remains of the five victims, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office.

Is there any information on the specific type of aircraft? The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a twin-engine Beechcraft 95. All five people aboard the aircraft were accounted for, the FAA told WORLD. It declined to provide WORLD with the registration number of the aircraft.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy, and that his office was coordinating with the National Transportation Safety Board, which was heading up the investigation. He added that the FAA, the city of Avalon, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office would continue to monitor the situation.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the names of the deceased had not been publicly released.

Dig deeper: Read Kevin DeYoung’s commentary for WORLD Opinions about how believers can share the gospel in the face of tragedy.