Family members share names of those on board plane that crashed near Outer Banks

CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Family members of those on board the plane that crashed near the town of Atlantic shared the names of those who are among those feared lost Monday.

Family members told NBC News that among the eight on board the plane were friends Kole McInnis, Daily Shepherd, Jake Taylor, and Noah Styron.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck said one body had been recovered, and the search is continuing for the other seven. Buck added, “We have no indication that anyone survived the crash.”

WITN reached out to Carteret County Public Schools, the school system of the four boys who are feared lost for more information, and were given the following statement:

“We are incredibly saddened as we join with the Down East and Eastern North Carolina community as we await official word on the airplane crash off the coast of Drum Inlet, North Carolina. Crisis teams are on school campuses to support students, staff and families.”

WITN learned Monday that an Eastern Carolina businessman and his girlfriend were also among those who are feared lost after the crash.

Tom Harrison, a partner at Mattamuskeet Ventures, tells WITN that his friend and business partner Hunter Parks and Parks’ girlfriend, Stephanie Fulcher, were returning from a duck hunting trip in Hyde County when the plane they were on crashed Sunday.

“He was one of the most generous people I know and he had a duck hunting property and he had invited a large number of youth and veterans. There’s a special duck season, a 1-day duck season for youth and veterans and he had invited them all to his property to duck hunt. And they had hunted there Saturday and were still in Hyde County at lunch time yesterday and flew home yesterday when the accident happened,” Harrison told WITN.

The Coast Guard told WITN Monday afternoon that next-of-kin had been notified about the crash but that identities of all involved will not be released until 24-hours later.

Fulcher is remembered by Chris Yeomans, a former Carteret County educator.

“She was always vibrant in the community, she loved her children, she loved her family, she was always supportive at school,” Yeomans said. “When I was principal, she was always an active member, just truly a blessing in this community.”

Harrison remembers Parks as someone who “wanted everybody to come out a winner.”

The Coast Guard and several other agencies are searching three separate debris fields. It said that rescue boats from various parts of the state and country are assisting in the search.

The Coast Guard said its ship, the Coast Guard Cutter Richard Snyder “will remain on scene overnight and continue responding to the downed aircraft site offshore Drum Inlet.”

West Carteret High School posted on its Facebook page condolences to those impacted by the plane crash, and in honor of them, is allowing students to make cards for East Carteret students.

The school is also asking students to wear blue and yellow for “ECHS Day” on Wednesday in support of “our friends across the bridge” and camo on Thursday in support of the boys.

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