Latest news with #WestYellowstone
Washington Post
22-07-2025
- Washington Post
Smartwatch helps rescuers find site of fatal Montana plane crash
Search crews were able to find a missing plane that crashed near West Yellowstone, Montana, killing all three people on board — with the help of a smartwatch belonging to one of the victims, local authorities said. The plane left West Yellowstone airport shortly before midnight Mountain time on Thursday. Authorities received a call about a possible plane crash the following afternoon, with the 'U.S. Department of Transportation Aero Division' reporting that the aircraft 'could not be located,' the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement shared Monday on Facebook.
CNN
22-07-2025
- General
- CNN
A smartwatch led rescuers to a fatal plane crash in Montana woods
Air travel safety Airplane crashes Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow The dense forests near West Yellowstone, Montana, concealed the wreckage of a small plane until an unlikely beacon — a smartwatch worn by one of the victims — helped search-and-rescue crews locate the crash site, officials said Monday. Responding crews found all three people aboard the aircraft dead, the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The victims were Rodney Conover, 60, and Madison Conover, 23, both of Tennessee, and Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, of Utah, according to the office. The plane departed from West Yellowstone Airport on Thursday, just before midnight, but never reached its destination, the sheriff's office said. On Friday afternoon, West Yellowstone Dispatch received a call from the US Department of Tranportation's Aero Division alerting local authorities that the aircraft's location was unknown. Minutes later, two planes were sent to search for the missing aircraft and, guided by location data from a smartwatch worn by one of the passengers, found the crash site just south of the town of West Yellowstone, the sheriff's office said. The search planes spotted the wreckage from air, describing it as 'crashed in dense timber,' the office said. Ground crews navigated the rugged wilderness to reach the site. Responders confirmed all three occupants had died. Their remains were airlifted and turned over to the county coroner. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash. CNN has reached out to both agencies for comment. Weather in the area at the time included gusty winds and chilly overnight temperatures. Sheriff Dan Springer extended his 'deepest condolences' to the victims' families.
CNN
22-07-2025
- General
- CNN
A smartwatch led rescuers to a fatal plane crash in Montana woods
Air travel safety Airplane crashes Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow The dense forests near West Yellowstone, Montana, concealed the wreckage of a small plane until an unlikely beacon — a smartwatch worn by one of the victims — helped search-and-rescue crews locate the crash site, officials said Monday. Responding crews found all three people aboard the aircraft dead, the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The victims were Rodney Conover, 60, and Madison Conover, 23, both of Tennessee, and Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, of Utah, according to the office. The plane departed from West Yellowstone Airport on Thursday, just before midnight, but never reached its destination, the sheriff's office said. On Friday afternoon, West Yellowstone Dispatch received a call from the US Department of Tranportation's Aero Division alerting local authorities that the aircraft's location was unknown. Minutes later, two planes were sent to search for the missing aircraft and, guided by location data from a smartwatch worn by one of the passengers, found the crash site just south of the town of West Yellowstone, the sheriff's office said. The search planes spotted the wreckage from air, describing it as 'crashed in dense timber,' the office said. Ground crews navigated the rugged wilderness to reach the site. Responders confirmed all three occupants had died. Their remains were airlifted and turned over to the county coroner. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash. CNN has reached out to both agencies for comment. Weather in the area at the time included gusty winds and chilly overnight temperatures. Sheriff Dan Springer extended his 'deepest condolences' to the victims' families.
