CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. — Crash investigators shared new information about the military plane crash that killed nine members of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard on a Georgia highway.
The Puerto Rico Air National Guard C-130 nosedived out of the sky just outside the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport on Wednesday morning.
Once Channel 2 Action News learned about the crash, Channel 2's Richard Elliot traveled to Savannah.
The crew was flying the C-130 into retirement when it plunged to the ground, The Associated Press reported.
The plane, which is more than 40 years old, was making its final trip and was en route to Arizona at the time of the crash. No one on the ground was injured.
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Military members told Channel 2 Action News they are now taking on the painful process of notifying the victims' family members.
"Our condolences go out to the families of the members of Puerto Rico National Guard that tragically lost their lives yesterday," Pete Boone, vice commander of the Savannah, Georgia-based 165th Airlift Wing, said
Thursday morning, the mayor of Manati, a Puerto Rican city, identified the pilot as Maj. José Rafael Román Rosado.
“In Honor will be the flags of our administration at half-mast in mourning for two days from today,” Mayor José Sánchez said in a Facebook post. “A lot of strength and our prayers and comfort for his whole family.”
Román Rosado, 43, was expecting his third child with his wife.
The other victims were identified as:
- Maj. Carlos Pérez Serra - Navigator - 23 years of service - from Canóvanas, PR. He is survived by his wife, two sons and daughter.
- 1st Lt. David Albandoz - Co-Pilot - 16 years of service - from PR, recently residing in Madison, Alabama. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
- Senior Master Sgt. Jan Paravisini - Mechanic - 21 years of service - from Canóvanas, PR. He is survived by two daughters and son.
- Master Sgt. Jean Audriffred - 16 years of service - from Carolina, PR. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
- Master Sgt. Mario Braña - Flight Engineer - 17 years of service - from Bayamón, PR. He is survived by his mother and daughter.
- Master Sgt. Víctor Colón - 22 years of service - from Santa Isabel, PR. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
- Master Sgt. Eric Circuns - Loadmaster - 31 years of service - from Rio Grande, PR. He is survived by his wife, two step-daughters and son.
- Senior Airman Roberto Espada- three years of service - from Salinas, PR. He is survived by his grandmother.
Relatives and friends of the crew are mourning.
"We grieve for them and with them as we try to make sense of what has occurred," Boone said.
Boone told Channel 2 Action News investigators are just beginning the tedious process of identifying the cause of the crash, which will likely take months.
David Callahan was driving down Highway 21 when he saw the plan spiral down out of the sky. Afterwards, he stopped to take photos of the wreckage.
"I mean, it was massive. When it came down, it was flying straight, and then it nose dived and flipped. It fell like underneath, a belly up," Callahan said.
Callahan considers himself lucky. He believes had he been a few seconds faster, that plane might have hit him too.
"I'm just thanking God every day that, you know, another ten more seconds, it could have been my life," he said.
The Georgia Department of Transportation told Elliot that Highway 21 will remain closed indefinitely as the crash is investigated.