Britt Jones
All passengers of the San Diego plane crash have been confirmed after investigators explained the harrowing scene they arrived to.
When the news broke that drummer Daniel Williams, a former member of the Ohio-based metal band The Devil Wears Prada, was a victim of a plane crash on Thursday morning (May 22), it sent shockwaves throughout the music community.
Williams boarded the privately owned jet on Wednesday with David Shapiro, a music agent who has represented acts including Sum 41 and Vanessa Carlton.
It was later revealed that Shapiro was listed as the owner of the plane, and had a pilot's license.
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The plane, which is said to have had six people on board, crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood just hours later, causing evacuations along several streets.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” assistant Fire Department chief Dan Eddy said during a news conference. “Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.”
At first, it was unknown exactly just how many people were on the plane at the time, but when Shapiro’s talent agent company, Sound Talent Group, released its heartfelt message of condolences, the public began to find out that there were more than two casualties.
A spokesman for Sound Talent Group told the BBC: "We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today's tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time."
Revealing that three colleagues had been on board, including Shapiro, it went on to confirm those who had died that morning.
Sound Talent Group confirmed that booking assistants Kendall Fortner and Emma Huke were onboard the plane, and it was later confirmed that Shapiro's friend Dominic Damian and photographer Celina Kenyon were also among the dead.
Investigators also shared the conditions in which might have contributed to the crash, such as foggy weather conditions.
Dan Baker, of the National Transportation Safety Board, shared that the runway lights were not on when the incident occurred, and also, a weather alert system wasn't working when the pilot attempted to land.
Because of these issues, the plane came up short during its landing attempt and crashed into the neighborhood.
After his death, Williams' former The Devil Wears Prada bandmates paid tribute to him and Shapiro, writing online: "No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever."
Before the crash, Williams shared a couple of Instagram Stories from inside the cockpit and outside of the private jet.
"Hey. Hey … you … look at me … I’m the (co)pilot now," Williams said in one post.
Assistant San Diego Fire Department chief Dan Eddy said the fog was so thick ‘you could barely see in front of you’.
The crash damaged homes, vehicles and also clipped power lines on its way down.
As of right now, it has been confirmed that eight people were treated for minor injuries and dogs are being decontaminated by volunteers after being exposed to jet fuel.