An update to the Fox glacier helicopter crash over the weekend is sobering. According to a Telegraph report, all seven occupants pilot and passengers aboard a copter that went down in New Zealand have been identified. Moreover, only three bodies have been recovered from the mountainous crash site. Officials have not released their names as of this writing.
Andrew Virco, and Katharine Walker of Cambridge were celebrating their birthdays; both turned 50 years old. Nigel Charlton, 66, and his wife Cynthia, 70, hailed from Hampshire. Additionally, New South Wales residents, Sovannmony Leang, 27, and Josephine Gibson, 29, perished in the crash at Fox Glacier, according to NZ Herald.
A spokesperson with the Fox Glacier helicopter company released a statement about the crash and said the pilot was "a very valued member of our team."
Although the fatal crash is unsettling, it's not the first time the popular destination has been marred by tragedy. Because the area is known as one with the most access for viewing and traversing glaciers, it attracts about 30,000 visitors annually. Sadly, there have been several crashes over recent years, this being the latest.