A Virginia pilot dedicated to rescuing pets and animals was killed when his plane crashed over the weekend in the snowy woods of the Catskill Mountains, police said.
The pilot, identified on Monday as 49-year-old Seuk Kim, was traveling from Maryland to New York when his propeller-driven Mooney M20J went down early Sunday evening in a remote area of Windham, some 35 miles from his destination in Albany. He’d been transporting three dogs at the time, all of them associated with a not-for-profit group that transports rescue animals with help from volunteer pilots, according to Green County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky.
First responders — including sheriff’s deputies, state forest rangers, state police and local firefighters — descended on the crash scene around 6 p.m. They eventually located two of the dog passengers: a Labrador-mix puppy named Whiskey, who suffered broken bones, and an 8-month-old terrier mix named Pluto, who was left with only minor injuries.
“It was pretty scared and it was dug down into the snow,” Kusminsky said of Whiskey, who was rushed to a hospital in Connecticut for treatment.
The third canine, meanwhile did not survive.
Per a preliminary investigation, Kim died from the crash impact. News of the tragedy prompted scores of tributes for the pilot, including from Maggie Pryor, director of the Animal Shelter of Schoharie County. The dogs had been headed for the Connecticut shelter, police said.
“Over the years, Seuk helped to save the lives of hundreds of animals who would have otherwise been euthanized due to overcrowding at animal shelters,” she said.
Kim’s family in a statement said he was originally from South Korea and “came to this country with little but a dream, and through hard work and perseverance, he built a life of meaning and generosity.”
“He was a kind, selfless individual who always went out of his way to help others, no matter the circumstances,” the statement said. “His legacy will live on in the countless lives he touched, both human and animal.”
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
With News Wire Services
