All three victims of a fatal plane crash in Bath Township, Michigan, have been identified.
The crash occurred around 5 p.m. on Thursday in the Rose Lake State Wildlife Area, resulting in the deaths of all three individuals on board. The plane ignited a fire upon impact, complicating recovery efforts due to the remote location.
First responders faced challenges accessing the site, which lacked road access. “We had to use saws and manpower to blaze a trail to the site,” said Chief Mark Koonter of the Bath Township Fire Department.
The Mexican Consulate in Detroit identified the victims as pilot Rodolfo Pimentel Zamora, pilot Francisco Del Moral Jimenez, and mechanic Alvaro Espejo Javier Rodriguez. The Hawker 800 aircraft was undergoing maintenance at Battle Creek Executive Airport and was on a test flight when it crashed.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. Cleanup operations are expected to conclude in the coming days.