A pilot known for transporting rescued dogs to shelters tragically died in a plane crash in New York’s Catskill Mountains on Sunday, along with one of the canines he was transporting.
The pilot, Seuk Kim, 49, from Springfield, Virginia, was identified on Monday as the deceased. Kim had been a dedicated volunteer for a nonprofit organization that enlists pilots to fly rescued animals to shelters and care facilities. He was known for flying animals in need of shelter, including a dog rescued earlier this year from a shipping container in Houston.
According to Green County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky, the crash occurred in Windham, New York, at approximately 6:10 p.m. on Sunday. First responders, including sheriff’s deputies, state forest rangers, state police, and local firefighters, rushed to the crash site in Catskill State Park.
At the scene, authorities discovered Kim’s body and that of one deceased dog. A second dog, a Labrador mix, was found with two broken legs but survived the crash. This injured dog was rescued by the Hyer Ground Rescue nonprofit and taken to a veterinary hospital. A third dog, initially missing, was later found and also transported to an animal care facility by Hyer Ground and Partners for Animal Welfare.
Kim was piloting a Mooney M20J, a small four-seat aircraft, en route from Maryland to Albany, New York, which is approximately 50 miles north-northeast of the crash site. The National Weather Service reported light rain and temperatures around 39 degrees near the time of the crash, but it is still unclear whether weather conditions played a role in the incident. Snow was reported on the ground at the crash site.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash. An autopsy is planned for Kim’s body to further understand the circumstances surrounding his death.
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