PORT ANGELES — The Coast Guard today released the names of the three crew members who died in a helicopter crash off LaPush on Wednesday morning as well as the name of the lone survivor.
The crew members who died in the crash, near James Island are pilot Lt. Sean D. Krueger, 33, of Seymour, Conn.; Aircraft Maintenance Technician First Class Adam C. Hoke, 40, of Great Falls, Mont.; and Aircraft Maintenance Technician Second Class Brett M. Banks, 33, of Rock Spring, N.Y.
Lt. Lance D. Leone, 29, of Ventura, Calif., the other pilot, survived the crash. He is being treated at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center for injuries that are not considered life-threatening.
The four crew members were stationed at the Coast Guard air station in Sitka, Alaska.
They were flying the MH-60T Jayhawk from Astoria, Ore., that had been refurbished in North Carolina and flown to Oregon for them to pick up and fly to Sitka.
The helicopter crashed into the waters off James Island in the mouth of the Quillayute River at about 9:30 a.m. after flying into powerlines spanning the river’s mouth.
The lines, about 400 feet above the water, powered the Coast Guard’s foghorn and lights on James Island.
It remains unclear why the crew flew into the lines, said Petty Officer Eric Chandler, Coast Guard Sector Seattle spokesman, at about noon today.
Chandler said the Coast Guard continues to search for wreckage on the water and shore.
He said the Coast Guard intends to recover the submerged helicopter wreckage as soon as possible, but such efforts are being hampered by a fog bank rolling into LaPush.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
