9 Puerto Rico Air National Guard members killed in Port Wentworth plane crash identified
Brittini Ray @Brittini_Ray
May 4, 2018 at 10:42 AM May 4, 2018 at 10:42 AM
Officials have identified the nine airmen killed in the fatal military plane crash that shut down Ga. 21 in Port Wentworth indefinitely.
Just before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, a WC-130 Hercules, also known as a Hurricane Hunter, crashed on Ga. 21 near Crossgate Road shortly after taking off, said Col. Pete Boone, vice wing commander of the 165th Airlift Wing.
The plane, which was leaving from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, was carrying members of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. The Puerto Rico National Guard identified the victims of the crash as Maj. José R. Román Rosado, Maj. Carlos Pérez Serra, First Lt. David Albandoz, Senior Master Sgt. Jan Paravisini, Master Sgt. Jean Audriffred, Master Sgt. Mario Braña, Master Sgt. Víctor Colón, Master Sgt. Eric Circuns, and Senior Airman Roberto Espada.
"Our condolences go out to the families of everyone involved," Boone said. "We're here to support them… Puerto Rico has been through a lot recently. ...We are a close knit family and when a tragedy like this occurs every member of the United States Armed Forces feels it. I can assure you that the United States Air Force will be conducting a thorough investigation."
Rosado, who hailed from the coastal town of Manati along Puerto Rico's north coast, was the pilot of the plane, according to The Associated Press. The mayor of that town, Jose Sanchez, told The Associated Press the pilot had two sons and his wife is five months pregnant with a girl.
"The town is in mourning," Sanchez told AP. "My condolences to all Puerto Rican families."
Carlos Narvaez, a newspaper sports editor who was Rosado's close childhood friend, told the AP that Rosado was nicknamed "Rotor" because he loved all things with a motor that go fast. In December, Narvaez told the AP Rosado raised concerns about the age of the planes they were using.
"He told me, 'Jose, we're using the oldest planes of the entire United States of America,'" Narvaez recalled to the AP.
The plane
The crashed WC-130 was manufactured in the late 1970s, according to officials.
The WC-130 Hercules is a high-wing, medium-range aircraft flown by the Air Force Reserve Command for weather reconnaissance missions. The aircraft penetrates tropical disturbances and storms, hurricanes and winter storms to obtain data on movement, size and intensity. The H model, which was first introduced in 1964, was later replaced by the J model, according to the U.S. Air Force's website.
The downed plane was scheduled for decommissioning in Arizona and was making its final flight.
Boone, however, declined to comment further as "any speculation could affect the outcome of the investigation."
Those returning to work Thursday said were shocked by the devastation and debris on the roadway.
The plane's fuselage appeared to have struck the median, and pieces of its wings, which spanned 132 feet, were scattered across lanes in both directions.
The crash left jet fuel across the highway that caused small fires on the sides of the road.
"It's crazy," said Elijah Manigo, an employee at DSI Warehouse near Bonnybridge Road. "We tried to see what was going on as it happened (Wednesday.) Everything was really congested. I picked my daughter up from Port Wentworth Elementary ... and they didn't have any power for the whole day."
Ga. 21 will be closed indefinitely from Ga. 307 to the Sonny Dixon Exchange. The roadway could be closed for weeks as the military conducts its investigation. Once the investigation is complete, Ga. 21 will be cleared of debris and hazardous material and then evaluated by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
DOT has asked employers to consider staggering employee schedules to avoid traffic congestion on the road detours.
An emergency road closure with detour is in place on Ga. 21 between Crossgate Road and Piedmont Avenue due to the crash.
Motorists traveling north on SR 21 will be detoured onto Ga. 307 North then turn west Jimmy Deloach Connector to the Sonny Dixon Interchange back to Ga. 21 where detour ends.
Motorists traveling south on Ga. 21 will be detoured to Sonny Dixon Interchange to Jimmy Deloach Connector then travel west to Ga. 307 South back to Ga. 21 where the detour ends.