Searchers have our thanks

Folks involved in the search and recovery surrounding the tragic airplane crash in Sanders County last weekend deserve deep thanks for their efforts.

In most cases, they deserve the general thanks of the community, but in this case, their efforts are especially appreciated here at the Daily Inter Lake because the crash involved two of our own, reporters Melissa Weaver and Erika Hoefer, along with two Missoula men, Brian Williams and Sonny Kless.

The search got underway Monday in Flathead County after the plane failed to return to Kalispell City Airport as expected Sunday evening. The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office was exceptional in their response and highly cooperative in sharing information with us as it became available.

When it was learned later that day that the plane was last detected by radar west of the National Bison Range, the search was smoothly transitioned to a Sanders and Lake County joint command.

In the days that followed, it was a natural tendency for family members and friends of those aboard the missing airplane to feel growing frustration, wondering if as much as possible was being done in the search.

But it was also difficult to comprehend all of the difficulties involved with finding a downed plane over such a sprawling and rugged corner of Montana.

Searchers were initially going out at night, and they were going all day, trying to find the missing. There was indeed a sense of urgency.

Not many people know it, but most of the pilots involved with the search were volunteers, offering their time and their own aircraft and being compensated only for fuel costs.

Sadly, the crash site was located Wednesday afternoon in thick timber about 10 miles southwest of Dixon, after three days of searching, and it was confirmed that there were no survivors.

The recovery effort that started Thursday proved to be brutal, requiring teams to approach the site from two different locations. It took all day with the assistance of a Confederated Salish and Kootenai saw team to blaze a trail into the site. Then they cleared trees from around the wreckage so a helicopter could hoist the remains out of the area as quickly as possible Thursday night.

It is always sad when a rescue effort turns into a recovery, but that should not lessen our gratitude for the long hours, the hard work and the caring concern of the searchers who help families and friends during a difficult time.