Alaska officials identify 4 men killed in a small plane crash near coastal town

In a tragic accident on Thursday, four men were killed when a small plane crashed into shallow waters near the coastal town of Seldovia, Alaska. The pilot, Eric Middlebrook, a former mayor of Bethel with over four decades of flying experience, was among the victims. Middlebrook, who was 68, also had a commercial refrigerator business and was a well-respected figure in the region.

The passengers on board the Piper PA-24 were Ronald Schmidt, 65, Lance Schmidt, 20, and Daniel Simons, 82, all from California. The plane had taken off from Anchorage and was en route to the small town of Seldovia when it crashed into the Seldovia Slough. Middlebrook had been flying his plane to villages along the Kuskokwim River Delta to fix refrigerators and coolers.

The small community of Seldovia relies heavily on aviation to connect to the outside world, making accidents like this particularly devastating. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.