A pilot who became renowned for rescuing animals has died in a plane crash in New York state while transporting three rescue dogs said officials.
Seuk Kim, 49, of Springfield had been piloting a small aircraft with the animals on board from Maryland to Albany on Sunday when he reportedly lost control and smashed into a woodland in Windham, New York roughly 35 miles southwest of his final destination, said Greene County Sheriff's Office NY on Monday.
A preliminary investigation found that he died upon impact, said Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky as per CBS.
A homage to the Virginia father-of-three was posted on an online obituary: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Seuk Kim, who left us far too soon while living his dream and making the world a kinder place.”
Two of the dogs – one a Labrador-mix puppy named “Whiskey”– sustained injuries including two broken legs, said Greene County Sheriff's Office NY. Another, an 18-month-old Yorkshire terrier mix called Pluto, suffered minor injuries, reported CBS.
Kusminsky described the state of the injured pup to CBS: "It was pretty scared and it was dug down into the snow."
The animals were taken to Hyer Ground Rescue along with PAW (Partners for Animal Welfare) for care, said Greene County authorities.
However, the pilot with a “zest for life” along with a third dog did not survive.
At the time of the incident, conditions had been poor with reduced visibility. Kim reportedly made an altitude request after experiencing turbulence on board just before the crash, Fox5 reported.
His 16-year-old daughter Leah Kim said that her father “died doing what he loved, which was saving animals”, wrote the outlet.
The fundraiser posted in memory of the 49-year-old said: “From a young age, Seuk dreamed of taking to the skies, and he made that dream a reality by becoming a pilot.
“He found immense joy in flying and used his passion to help others, including his recent work with a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and transporting dogs to safe homes.”
On his Facebook profile, Kim posted regularly about his pet-saving endeavors and embarked on numerous flights across the US to rehabilitate and help rehome animals in need.
In October he wrote: “I’ve flown hundreds of dogs and never has one chewed and gnawed through a crate to get out and stand on it, looking so proud like she had conquered it (laughing emoji). Could have gone badly I suppose if she wasn’t such a great dog.
“Velma (the wiry escape artist) is available to adopt out of Stafford/Fredricksburg area if anyone is interested.”
A spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board told The Independent on Tuesday: “Two NTSB investigators arrived at the accident site Monday afternoon.
“Today they are documenting the accident site and airplane wreckage. The wreckage will then be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation.”
