'I Don’t Know How to Do Life without Her': All about the 6 People Who Died in California Plane Crash
- A plane crashed in Riverside County, California, on Saturday, July 8, killing six passengers.
- Among those killed was a young California native, Lindsey Gleiche, whom friends remember fondly.
- The other passengers of the private plane have also been identified, having all passed away in the tragic accident.
On Saturday, July 8, a private plane carrying six passengers tragically crashed, taking the lives of everyone on board. The incident occurred in Riverside County, California, after a pilot asked to take a few friends up in a Cessna C550 business jet from Harry Reid international airport.
The plane took off around 3:15 a.m. and crashed following its second approach to the runway at French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California. Following the devastating incident, friends and family of those who lost their lives gathered on Sunday to mourn the loss of their loved ones.
The wreckage of the plane, July 2023 | Source: youtube.com/@ABC7
Among those who perished was a California local named Lindsey Gleiche. Her friends opened up about Gleiche, saying she was a warm, loving person with a taste for adventure, and lamented the loss of their 31-year-old friend. The other passengers were also identified after the memorial ceremony.
The Six Passengers Who Lost Their Lives
A formal representative of the Federal Aviation Administration shared details about the plane crash after a thorough investigation, stating that the Cessna C550 came down at the French Valley Airport due to low visibility. The plane crashed about 500 feet short of the runway, costing the lives of all the passengers.
Friends of Gleiche also chimed in after news of her death broke, recalling that she loved the outdoors, spending time with her friends, enjoying music, and attending concerts.
Among those who passed away during the crash was the 32-year-old co-pilot Manuel Vargas-Regalado, who sat at the helm of the small aircraft alongside the pilot, Riese Lenders. Sources indicate Lenders had acquired his pilot's license in April 2023 and took some of his friends out for a leisurely flight alongside Vargas-Regalado.
Lindsey Gleiche | Source: youtube.com/@ABC7
Vargas-Regalado reportedly contacted the owner of the plane, Michael Morris, asking whether he could take a few friends out in his aircraft. Knowing Vargas-Regalado from his flight company, Morris agreed. He didn't enquire further since the pilot had been flying for his company for the past two years and was highly experienced.
Vargas-Regalado brought his wife, Abigail Tellez-Vargas, with him on the flight, among a few other individuals. While Vargas-Regalado worked as a pilot, his wife made a living as a real estate agent. The couple had seven children, the oldest being around age 11.
Lindsey Gleiche | Source: youtube.com/@ABC7
Morris commented on the plane crash, lamenting the loss of lives with the words, "We lost six wonderful souls [who] unfortunately left behind 11 kids." Miller indicated that the youngest of all the children of those who have been lost is a newborn.
The plane's pilot, Lenders, was merely 25 and hailed from Rancho Palos Verdes. Friends of Lenders took to social media shortly after finding out about his death, admonishing him as a great person and remembering all the adventures they had shared with the young man, from other flights to surfing.
Firefighters were on the scene as quickly as possible, according to Morris, although their efforts were in vain.
While Lenders had only recently acquired his pilot's license, the young man evidently had enough experience to land a job. He worked as a commercial pilot for RCL Aviation LLC. After the crash, Lenders' social media was flooded with heartfelt messages from friends. Lenders had been dating Gleiche for a while before the crash.
Friends of Gleiche also chimed in after news of her death broke, recalling that she loved the outdoors, spending time with her friends, enjoying music, and attending concerts. While her partner had recently received his pilot's license, Gleiche made a living as a graphic designer. Her closest friend commented:
"I know her brother, her mom, her dad and everyone is just devastated. Everyone around her. She touched so many people. I don't know how to do life without her because we had always had this [pact] that it was me and her against the world."
Among those who lost their lives during the crash was the owner of the Hyundai/Kia of Yuma, Ibrahem Razick. Razick had also served as a United States Marine, and his employees expressed their sorrow at losing someone so dedicated to helping their community flourish. Razick's employees wrote in a Facebook post:
"He was a loving husband, father, brother, and proud United States Marine. His spirit and passion for life will not be forgotten, along with his commitment to making his community a better place."
Razick's employees praised him for his diligence, commitment, and courage, saying he was a great asset to the Marine Corps and his fellow men. Razick also shared four children with his spouse, although little is known about any of the children.
Razick reportedly joined the Marines shortly after high school and served in an aviation unit. At the age of 20, he left the military in the hopes of becoming a police officer. He took a job as a car salesman to support himself financially while waiting to start police training, which eventually became his full-time career.
The ex-Marine commented that he initially had doubts about the car industry. When he first joined the business, he complained that car salesmen always ripped off their clients. His superiors told him he could try an honest approach, which worked out well, making the young sales employee a considerable sum in his first month.
Seeing how much he could make without letting go of his moral compass, Razick chose to stay in the car industry, eventually becoming the owner of his own branch. His employees adored him, praising him for his mentorship abilities, his positive attitude, and his tendency to motivate anyone who worked for him.
Razick's wife, Alma Razick, was also aboard the flight. Firefighters were on the scene as quickly as possible, according to Morris, although their efforts were in vain. The flight was only a 45-minute trip, but fog obscured the runway, making landing excessively difficult.
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