Couple killed in Hawaii helicopter crash; Search suspended for missing pilot, passenger
View from an excursion boat of the Na Pali coast on the western side of the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
HONOLULU - A Kentucky couple lost their lives while on vacation in Hawaii, authorities said.
The Coast Guard and County of Kaua‘i said a tour helicopter crashed on July 11 off the Na Pali Coast, Kaua‘i.
Three people were onboard, including the pilot, 69-year-old Guy Croydon, and passengers 60-year-old James Quintua and 53-year-old Amy Nichole Ruark Quintua.
Amy's body was recovered the same day of the crash. The pilot and the other passenger are still missing, but authorities have suspended their search.
Authorities said, based on a preliminary report, police were notified of the crash by hikers who said the chopper crashed into the water.
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Officials identified the involved helicopter as belonging to Ali‘i Kaua‘i Air Tours and Charters.
According to WXIX, relatives of the victims are heading to the area.
"[Amy] She was one of the most kindhearted individuals you would ever meet. My favorite thing about her was how freely she would tell those she loved that she loved them. And you knew that she meant it," Amy Gail Ruark, Amy’s sister-in-law, told the outlet. "She and Jim had found each other and were soulmates. They were one of those couples that you would look at and be in awe of their love for each other."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of Guy Croydon, and James and Amy Nichole Ruark Quintua," Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami said in a statement. "We are truly grateful for the committed efforts of our search and rescue teams, partnering agencies, and community during this operation."
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.