The victims were identified as Steve Eugene Clatterbuck, 60, of Salinas, James Vincent, 36, of Monterey, and Jamie Lee Tabscott, 44, of Monterey.
The aircraft, a Beechcraft B-95-B55, took off from the San Carlos airport at 10:11 p.m. and was last observed at 10:36 p.m. near Monterey based on flight tracking data from FlightAware.com.
A witness reported hearing the plane circling at a low altitude for about 30 seconds before a loud noise was heard. Debris from the plane was found scattered along the shoreline.
Search and rescue efforts involved Coast Guard boat and helicopter crews, as well as local law enforcement and fire agencies. The operation spanned 13 hours, covering 346 miles of trackline over an area of approximately 100 square miles.
The first victim was recovered by a fire boat crew around 3 a.m. on Sunday, while divers found the other two victims inside the aircraft’s fuselage between 6:30 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.
The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash, while the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office stated that the families of the victims have requested privacy during this difficult time.
The sheriff’s office also expressed gratitude on behalf of the families for the community’s support.
