Six people are dead after a plane crashed into an upstate New York field.
On Saturday, April 12, the twin-engine turboprop Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft was heading toward Columbia County Airport in Hudson when it crashed in a field near the town of Copake at around 12:15 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed in a post on X that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
The six plane passengers were family members and their significant others, according to the Associated Press, which cited authorities and a relative. The victims were Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player who was named the 2022 NCAA woman of the year; her father, Dr. Michael Groff, a neuroscientist; her mother, urogynecologist Dr. Joy Saini; and her brother, Jared Groff, who worked as a paralegal.
Alexia Couyutas Duarte, Jared’s partner, who planned to attend Harvard Law School in the fall, and Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro, were the other two victims, the outlet added.
“They were a wonderful family,” James’ father, John Santoro, told the AP. “The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We’re all personally devastated.”
Reflecting on the loss of his son, specifically, he added, “The 25 years we had with James were the best years of our lives, and the joy and love he brought us will be enough to last a lifetime.”
John told the publication that the group was on Michael’s private plane. He also said that funeral arrangements are underway.
During a press conference, local outlet News 10 reported that Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore said authorities “estimate the investigation will take a couple of days,”
Salvatore also said during the press conference that the muddy condition where the plane crashed has made accessing the scene difficult.
The NTSB and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office have not immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment on April 13.
