News / World
Human remains found from organ transplant team's plane crash
A small plane carrying a six member organ transplant team crashed into Lake Michigan on Monday. Rescuers have been searching the water for survivors. A coast guard official said that the rescuers found human remains. It is believed that all six members of the flight were killed in the crash.
The plane carrying the organ transplant team took off from General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee for a 42-minute flight to Willow Run Airport. Five minutes after the plane took off the pilot sent an emergency warning to the airport and requested permission to return to the airport. Only seconds after the pilot made the request the plane dropped off radar.
The Coast Guard was contacted and a search began for survivors. Coast Guard Captain Bruce Jones said the temperature of the water was 57 degrees and people could survive up to 16 hours in that temperature of water. Divers searched in about 20 feet of water in areas near debris and an oil slick Aircraft debris was found only 6 miles from Milwaukee.
"The condition of the aircraft debris and human remains found indicate a high-speed impact," Jones said. "We believe this to have been a non-survivable crash."
The two surgeons and two donor specialist were on their way to the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers. When the hospital found out about the crash they ordered the transplant team to stop with preparation of the patient. The university said the transplant recipient was in critical condition.
