Officials ID Pilot, 2 Passengers in Kaua‘i Helicopter Crash

The pilot and two passengers on board the helicopter that crashed in Kaua‘i have been preliminarily identified, according to the flight manifest.

According to preliminary reports, Kaua‘i police believe the pilot to be 69-year-old Paul Matero of Wailua and two of the passengers to be 47-year-old Amy Gannon and 13-year-old Jocelyn Gannon of Wisconsin. The four other passengers are believed to be a family from Switzerland, however, their identities have not yet been released at this time.

Autopsies to positively confirm all identities are still pending. Some of the remains of the individuals were recovered Friday afternoon at the site of the helicopter wreckage in Kōke‘e near steep, remote terrain between Miloli‘i Ridge Road and Nu‘alolo Trail.

Recovery efforts were suspended on Friday afternoon due to inclement weather and resumed this morning. Operations are currently being conducted by the Kaua‘i Fire Department’s Rescue 3 personnel and Air 1, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Kaua‘i Police Department.

Life’s Bridges, a grief-counseling agency, the American Red Cross and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau have been assisting the victims’ families.