by Residents of the Half Moon Bay area are being advised to charge their electronics and cell phones ahead of time, as a search is currently underway following a plane crash off the coast. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, shortly after 7 p.m., when witnesses reported seeing a two-propeller plane flying erratically. They heard the engine sputter before the plane disappeared. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has evidence that the aircraft went into the water.
Authorities have now identified one of the two individuals who tragically lost their lives in the crash. Emma Willmer-Shiles, a 27-year-old San Francisco resident, was a passenger on the plane. Her body was discovered in the water near the wreckage by a fisherman on Monday. The search for survivors involved 30 individuals from the sheriff’s office, but the body of the pilot, who remains unnamed, has yet to be found.
The small aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances, according to a report from the Federal Aviation Administration. It went down shortly after departing from Half Moon Bay Airport at around 7:04 p.m. on Sunday. Sarah Sulick, a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, has announced that an investigator is expected to arrive on Tuesday to begin the on-scene investigative process.
Witnesses have described the plane as flying erratically before disappearing from view. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, in a news release, stated that the wreckage of the aircraft was found in the ocean after a search was conducted on Sunday night. However, the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for survivors after covering a search area of 28 square miles in nearly six hours.
The tragic incident has left the community in shock and mourning. As the investigation progresses, authorities will continue their efforts to uncover the cause of the crash and provide closure to the families and loved ones affected by this devastating event.
Please note that the information in this article is subject to change as the investigation unfolds.
