LIHU‘E — Two bodies pulled from waters off the South Shore last week have been identified as the pilot and passenger of a powered hang glider that crashed near Glass Beach. County spokeswoman Sarah Blane said the bodies — found
LIHU‘E — Two bodies pulled from waters off the South Shore last week have been identified as the pilot and passenger of a powered hang glider that crashed near Glass Beach.
County spokeswoman Sarah Blane said the bodies — found strapped into part of an aircraft — are 55-year-old Jim Gaither and his passenger Kim Buergel, 49, of Spokane, Wash.
Rescuers discovered the bodies about 21 hours after a kayaker reported seeing an aircraft crash into the ocean.
Gaither owned Big Sky Kaua‘i of Hanapepe, along with the “trike” powered hang glider that went down.
His funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at the Lihu‘e Missionary Church 4383 Rice St. in Lihu‘e.
The National Transportation Safety Board is heading the investigation into the crash. Its spokesman was not immediately available at press time.
