Officials say remains of those killed in Bangor crash are still in plane wreckage
PORTLAND, Maine (WGME) — Officials at Bangor International Airport held a news conference on Wednesday with updates on the investigation into a plane crash that killed six people Sunday night.
The Bangor International Airport will reopen on Thursday at 12 p.m.
But this could still change at the last minute, as the weather has delayed the investigation.
The director of the Bangor International Airport says what's left of the Bombardier Challenger 600 remains on the tarmac encased in snow, ice, and frozen firefighting foam.
The scene has been closely monitored by the Bangor Police Department since Sunday night.
The remains of those killed are still trapped in the wreckage as of Wednesday.
The Medical Examiner’s Office is working with law enforcement to confirm the identities of the people who were on board.
"We want to be mindful of the friends and relatives of the victims involved in this accident as they deserve respect and privacy," Bangor International Airport Director Jose Saavedra said.
The four passengers killed worked for a luxury travel company co-founded by one of the victims.
The Daily Mail reports Tara Arnold, who co-founded Beyond, was one of them.
The paper reports that three Beyond team members died in the crash, including a private chef, a wine expert, and the company's luxury event designer.
There was also a pilot anda crew member on board.
As for the investigation, there are four FAA investigators on site along with six members of the NTSB.
"NTSB investigations involve three primary areas: number one the pilot, number two the aircraft, number three the operating environment," Bangor International Airport Director Jose Saavedra said.
Severe weather has delayed the investigation and an aviation expert says it also may have played a role in the crash.
"A little bit of ice and there have been FAA studies that have shown that a little granular effect, similar to sandpaper, can really dispute the airflow. When that happens, that wing doesn't lift like it normally would," Randy Klatt, with the Foundation for Aviation Safety, said.
The plane will eventually be moved to a secure facility as part of the investigation.
The NTSB will be providing a preliminary report within 30 days with the information that has been gathered during the initial investigation. A final report won't be released for months.
