Utah authorities have identified the four people who were killed in a tragic plane crash near Cedar City on Saturday.
The victims include Utah County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Steven Eatchel, who piloted the aircraft, and his wife Lindsay, the sheriff’s office said in a press release Sunday. Lindsay and Steven were parents to four children, UCSO added.
The Iron County Sheriff’s Office identified Thomas Eatchel and Danielle Deagostini as the two other victims. Thomas was Steven’s brother, while Deagostini was Thomas’ girlfriend, FOX station KSTU reported.
“Steve was piloting a small airplane, flying out of Cedar City Airport,” UCSO said in their release. “Flying with him was his wife, Lindsay, and two other passengers. After takeoff, they turned east toward the mountains. A few minutes later the plane crashed. Iron County Sheriff’s Office officials responded and reported that there were no survivors of the crash.”
The ISCO said investigators from their office and the FAA and NTSB will try to determine the cause of the crash.
All four were on a sightseeing tour of Zion National Park in a Diamond DA-40 single-engine plane prior to the crash, KSTU reported.
“Deputy Eatchel has worked for the Sheriff’s Office for nearly 12 years and was currently assigned in Judicial Services working in the courts,” UCSO officials wrote.
“The Utah County Sheriff’s Office expresses its sincerest condolences to the Eatchel family,” they added. “[Steven’s] kind manner and ever present smile will be missed.”
GoFundMe pages were created to help the family members of the victims. One online fundraiser aims to assist Thomas’ loved ones with memorial service expenses.
“With this unexpected loss, we are in a difficult position,” reads a message on a GoFundMe for Steven and Lindsay’s memorial and the late couple’s four children. “Any help towards financial relief for services and transition for the kids is greatly appreciated.”
UCSO Sgt. Spencer Cannon told KSTU that losing one of his department’s own “almost seems unreal.”
“[Steven] was a genuinely kind person,” Sgt. Cannon added. “He had a perpetual smile on his face, you know?”
—
Read the original article on People
Leave a Reply