Eugene ‘Buzzy’ Peltola Jr. Obituary: Victim Dies After Plane Crash In Alaska
Eugene ‘Buzzy’ Peltola Jr. Death: The husband of Alaska representative Mary Peltola, Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr., has passed away following a plane crash Tuesday evening in Alaska. He was 57 years old.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is investigating the crash of a Piper PA 18-150 Super Cub that went down at 8:48 p.m. Tuesday under unknown circumstances near St. Mary’s, according to the Associated Press.
The pilot, Eugene Peltola Jr., was the only person on board.
“The pilot flew a hunter and the hunter’s equipment to a remote location 64 miles away from St. Mary’s. After leaving the hunter, the plane took off to return and appears to have crashed in an area of remote, mountainous terrain,” the NTSB said in a statement.
— Rep. Mary Peltola (@Rep_Peltola) September 13, 2023
The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AK RCC) deployed an Alaska Air National Guard rescue team to the scene, stated Austin McDaniel, Alaska State Troopers Communications Director.
Two hunters, who were at the scene but not involved in the crash, provided medical care to the injured pilot, Eugene Peltola Jr. Peltola unfortunately died before the rescue team arrived.
The rescue team transported Peltola and the two uninjured hunters back to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. Peltola’s body was brought to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
The NTSB is conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Eugene Peltola was the Regional Director of the Alaska Bureau of Indian Affairs for several years before retiring in 2022, according to CNN.
“We are devastated to share that Mary’s husband, Eugene Peltola Jr. ′Buzzy’ to all of us who knew and loved him passed away earlier this morning following a plane accident in Alaska,” stated Peltola’s chief of staff, Anton McParland.
“The experience of losing a partner and loved one is one of immeasurable grief, which no one should have to endure. I, along with my House colleagues and the entire DCCC family, am praying for Mary and her family,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene.
Governor Dunleavy responded to the news saying he and his wife are “saddened and shocked” while praising Peltola’s career in public service.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski said, she was “shocked, saddened and truly beyond words to express my grief at the loss of Gene Peltola Jr. Anyone who met Buzzy felt his warmth, generosity and charm. It was easy to see why so many Alaskans called him a friend, and how he was so loved by his family.”
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