Melbourne, Australia, Plane Crash Victims

A chartered airplane carrying five people in Australia crashed into a shopping center Tuesday morning, Feb. 21, 2017, shortly after taking off from Melbourne's Essendon International Airport.

Four of the people aboard the small plane were U.S. citizens. Names of the victims were not released pending notification of next of kin.

One of the victims, however, was identified in a Facebook post. Denelle Wicht said her brother Greg De Haven had been killed while flying to another location to play golf with two of his friends.

"My handsome athletic big brother was killed today in a plane accident while on his 'once in a lifetime' trip to Australia," she wrote. "It was a charter flight with two of his friends flying to another island to play golf."

The United States embassy in Canberra, Australia, confirmed that four people aboard the plane were U.S. citizens.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died in today's tragic crash," a spokeswoman said.

Read Less

Listen to Notice

Guest Book

Share memories or express condolences below

Add Message