Avon man, friend aboard missing copter
Avon man, friend aboard missing copter
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Catherine Gabe
Plain Dealer Reporter
It's a long way from Northeast Ohio to the spectacularly craggy Hawaiian island called Kauai. But prayers traversed the miles as family, friends and co-workers hoped for the safe return of Thomas Huemmer, a 36-year-old Avon lawyer, and his 30-year-old girlfriend, Tamara Zytkowski of Avon, a Cleveland Clinic nurse.
But late Monday, the Associated Press was reporting that bodies of four of the five passengers on board had been recovered, and that all on board were presumed dead.
Advertisement
The couple had taken a sight-seeing helicopter tour, a popular vantage point for viewing the island jewel. But the 45-minute flight Friday with Huemmer and his girlfriend never returned, according to members of the girlfriend's family, who were vacationing with the couple.
Instead, officials said, it slammed into a 2,700-foot high mountain.
The wreckage was not officially spotted until 2 p.m. Saturday, said Cyndi Mei Ozaki, public information officer for Kauai County.
Huemmer's father, Frank, said the girlfriend's parents called him Saturday morning with the news: They and their other daughter had just returned from a helicopter tour, and were waiting for Thomas and Zytkowski's helicopter to return. It never did.
Throughout the weekend, rescue efforts were continually hampered by the rain, mist and hurricane-force winds that buffet the island heights, said Bob Kaden, battalion fire chief who helped with the rescue effort. A U.S. Army helicopter was being dispatched to assist in the rescue effort Monday.
Kaden believes all five on board, including the pilot and a German couple, must have perished in the crash.
"I just don't think there is any hope for survival because of the severe impact and the burning that occurred, along with the obvious conditions of the some of the bodies that can be viewed," Kaden said.
Before hearing that rescuers had recovered the bodies Monday, Frank Huemmer, of Brecksville, said, "We are hurt very badly, but we are also hopeful." He said an Internet picture of the crash site made it appear as if the fuselage was nestled in trees, which may have softened the blow.
"Maybe, possibly, they might be OK," he said quietly over the telephone. "The odds are not good, but we are hoping and praying."
Similarly 70 co-workers at Wickens Herzer Panza, Cook & Batista in Avon remained optimistic.
The firm held an impromptu morning meeting. "This company is a family and we wanted our family to deal with this together by focusing our thoughts, prayers and hopes on Thomas and the others," said David Herzer, president.
Huemmer was expected back at work sometime this week, Herzer said.
Huemmer graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1986, Villanova University in 1990 and received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1994. His birthday is Oct. 5.
The helicopter was run by the Bali Hai Helicopter Tours, Kaden said. When the company was contacted, a person answering the phone said, "We have no comment," and hung up.
Plain Dealer reporter John P. Coyne contributed to this story.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
cgabe@plaind.com, 1-800-767-2821
Avon man, friend aboard missing copter
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Catherine Gabe
Plain Dealer Reporter
It's a long way from Northeast Ohio to the spectacularly craggy Hawaiian island called Kauai. But prayers traversed the miles as family, friends and co-workers hoped for the safe return of Thomas Huemmer, a 36-year-old Avon lawyer, and his 30-year-old girlfriend, Tamara Zytkowski of Avon, a Cleveland Clinic nurse.
But late Monday, the Associated Press was reporting that bodies of four of the five passengers on board had been recovered, and that all on board were presumed dead.
Advertisement
The couple had taken a sight-seeing helicopter tour, a popular vantage point for viewing the island jewel. But the 45-minute flight Friday with Huemmer and his girlfriend never returned, according to members of the girlfriend's family, who were vacationing with the couple.
Instead, officials said, it slammed into a 2,700-foot high mountain.
The wreckage was not officially spotted until 2 p.m. Saturday, said Cyndi Mei Ozaki, public information officer for Kauai County.
Huemmer's father, Frank, said the girlfriend's parents called him Saturday morning with the news: They and their other daughter had just returned from a helicopter tour, and were waiting for Thomas and Zytkowski's helicopter to return. It never did.
Throughout the weekend, rescue efforts were continually hampered by the rain, mist and hurricane-force winds that buffet the island heights, said Bob Kaden, battalion fire chief who helped with the rescue effort. A U.S. Army helicopter was being dispatched to assist in the rescue effort Monday.
Kaden believes all five on board, including the pilot and a German couple, must have perished in the crash.
"I just don't think there is any hope for survival because of the severe impact and the burning that occurred, along with the obvious conditions of the some of the bodies that can be viewed," Kaden said.
Before hearing that rescuers had recovered the bodies Monday, Frank Huemmer, of Brecksville, said, "We are hurt very badly, but we are also hopeful." He said an Internet picture of the crash site made it appear as if the fuselage was nestled in trees, which may have softened the blow.
"Maybe, possibly, they might be OK," he said quietly over the telephone. "The odds are not good, but we are hoping and praying."
Similarly 70 co-workers at Wickens Herzer Panza, Cook & Batista in Avon remained optimistic.
The firm held an impromptu morning meeting. "This company is a family and we wanted our family to deal with this together by focusing our thoughts, prayers and hopes on Thomas and the others," said David Herzer, president.
Huemmer was expected back at work sometime this week, Herzer said.
Huemmer graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1986, Villanova University in 1990 and received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1994. His birthday is Oct. 5.
The helicopter was run by the Bali Hai Helicopter Tours, Kaden said. When the company was contacted, a person answering the phone said, "We have no comment," and hung up.
Plain Dealer reporter John P. Coyne contributed to this story.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
cgabe@plaind.com, 1-800-767-2821
posted by DP at 3:58 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home