Coast Guard Mourns Crash Victims

Written by Tim Sakahara - tsakahara@kgmb9.com

September 05, 2008 10:24 PM

Rescuers are not giving up hope that the fourth crewmember, who was wearing a life-jacket, may have survived the crash of a Coast Guard helicopter last night.

The three other guardsmen who died were identified as Rescue Swimmer Petty Officer First Class David Skimin; Flight Mechanic Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Nichols and Co-Pilot Lieutenant Commander Andrew Wischmeier. The missing pilot has not been identified.

The three men were killed doing a routine training exercise they practice three times a week. Friday, the Coast Guard commander said there was a problem with the cable that lowers the rescue basket. That could have contributed to the crash. This as the rescue community is in mourning.

"To me what is most important in life is free time to do the things I like to do," said David Skimin, in a video that was recorded five years ago.

In the video Skimin talked about the Coast Guard and surfing frigid Alaska waves in the winter. Skimin was one of the men killed in the Coast Guard helicopter crash. His brother James says the family feels lost. They knew he was adventurous but didn't imagine this.

"He was so reckless, not reckless but he would go surf 30 foot waves no problem he would go rafting down a river with no helmet and no wetsuit on and these type of things and I figured if he was going to die it would be in that type of manner," said James Skimin, David's brother.

The Coast Guard is also mourning the loss of Petty Officer Joshua Nichols and Lt. Commander Andrew Wischmeier. All three of the men were married and had children.

"I met with the spouses last night and it was very difficult circumstances but I must tell you I was heartened by their courage, by their pride in the work their spouses did," said Rear Admiral Manson K. Brown, 14th Coast Guard District Commander.

The Hawaii Coast Guard is a close group. They all know each other so loss goes deep.

"Losing a fellow coasty is like losing a child and I will tell you it's an indescribable feeling. For my 30 years I’ve watched it happen around me but I’ve never had it occur to me," said Rear Admiral Brown.

Divers managed to find the helicopter's fuselage. Investigators will inspect it for clues on the crash. Meanwhile Coast Guard search and rescue crews will continue to search through the night and re-evaluate Saturday morning.

For more information click on the U.S. Coast Guard website.