Witnesses Describe Terrifying Collision Between Airplanes Killing Eight

KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — Witnesses who saw two planes collide over Coeur d’Alene Lake in Kootenai County Idaho described a terrifying scene. The witnesses described the incident as if occurring out of nowhere. The witnesses said around 2:20 p.m. on a clear warm Sunday afternoon, the sky erupted in a fireball after a huge concussion. Witnesses then described the planes falling to the Lake surface below, causing another loud crashing sound. Another witness said that he observed one wing from a plane involved in the crash separate from the fuselage before both plummeted into the water. First responders raced to the scene located near Powderhorn Bay on the lake but found no survivors, according to MSN.com. First responders initially believed that eight people perished in the collision. Tragically, there were no survivors. *

First responders, along with crews from the United States Coast Guard, rushed to the scene of the aircraft collision to perform rescue operations. It was clear to them soon after their arrival rescue was not possible, and their efforts focused recovery of the victims’ bodies as well as the wreckage left behind by the planes. The Sheriff’s Department said that two bodies were recovered initially in that six people were not located. The Sheriff’s Department initially believed that at least three of the victims were children as well. Those fears were later confirmed through their investigation. Specialized dive teams using sonar found the wreckage of the planes in 127 feet of water at the bottom of the lake. 

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were also called to the scene. Investigators from the NTSB will lead the investigation. The FAA identified one of the planes involved in the airborne crash as a Cessna 206. The NTSB, meanwhile, said the other aircraft involved was a de Havilland DHC-2. The investigation will take at least one year, if not longer, to complete.

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Source:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/8-people-feared-dead-after-2-planes-collide-in-terrifying-crash-over-idaho-lake/ar-BB16oVn6?li=BBnbcA1