Dana Michael Ruehle dies in fatal Gulf Shores plane crash
Fatal Gulf Shores plane crash death of Dana Michael Ruehle – Obituary
Authorities have identified two men who lost their lives after a small aircraft crashed over the weekend near Gulf Shores.
According to Baldwin County Coroner Dr. Brian Pierce, the victims were 64-year-old Dana Michael Ruehle and 68-year-old Jon Leslie George, both residents of Gulf Shores. The two men were aboard a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza that was traveling to Gulf Shores from Daytona Beach on Saturday evening.
Officials said the aircraft disappeared from radar around 7 p.m. after air traffic controllers at Gulf Shores International Airport lost contact with the plane. The last known location was about seven miles west of the airport over the waters of Mobile Bay.
Gulf Shores police, along with their Marine Unit, launched a search and located a debris field in the area near Sailboat Bay and Plash Island. Several agencies assisted in the response, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
Rescue crews later recovered the wreckage of the plane as well as the bodies of the two men. Authorities conducted an additional search of the area but confirmed that no other passengers were found.
The remains of the victims are being taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for examination as investigators continue to determine what caused the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with support from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Gulf Shores Police Department.
Police Chief Dan Netemeyer expressed condolences to the families of the victims, noting that the tragedy has deeply affected those close to them and the local community.
