WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - The two men who were killed after, authorities said, their plane veered off the runway at North Palm Beach County Airport were Broward County residents.
7News has learned one of the victims was Gojko Damjanic, a music educator from Fort Lauderdale. His wife said the 58-year-old also had a passion for flying.
The other victim is from Hollywood.
The men’s Piper PA-28 crashed into one of the marsh areas at the end of the runway, at around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The single-engine aircraft sank with the victims still inside.
After hearing news of the crash, area residents were left shaken.
“It’s definitely scary,” said Jackson Faulknor. “It’s not every day you hear about a plane crash in the area, or any area.”
Rescue crews needed to wade and dig through mud and muck to even access the water.
Divers descended around 20 feet to reach the plane, which had split into several pieces and scattered in the water. One of the wings was gone, and the tail had broken off as well.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes said it took the cooperation of a number of agencies to try and get the victims out.
“Between Palm Beach Gardens, between the [Palm Beach] Sheriff’s Office and all of our agencies, so that, when something like this happens, our communications centers can seamlessly talk to each other,” said Reyes.
About an hour after the crash, aerial units successfully got the men into a rescue basket to lift them out of the water.
Crews dragged the victims to shore and took them to the hospital, but despite their best efforts, the two men succumbed to their injuries.
“It’s very sad. It’s horrible,” said area resident Jill Cohen.
The National Transportation Safety Board is already investigating. While they continue asking questions about the crash, residents are still looking for answers, starting with the basics, to put the victims’ families at peace.
“Hopefully they can find where the plane came from and who they are and find their families,” said Faulknor.
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