Crash victim is identified as man, 60, from California
A 60-year-old California man is the fifth person to die in helicopter crashes on Kauai in four days.
Kauai police identified him as Michael Gershon, 60, of Walnut Creek, Calif.
Gershon and three other passengers were injured Sunday when an Inter-Island Helicopters craft crashed at Haena.
Pilot Donald Torres, 30, was treated and released from Wilcox Hospital.
Floyd Ingram, a fellow pilot at Inter-Island Helicopters, said Torres has been flying off and on for the company for four years.
He was born and raised right down the road from Burns Field, where Inter-Island is based.
Floyd said Torres "is fine," with no injuries. He did not come to work yesterday. "Bottom line is this is an accident," he added.
Passenger Dania Hansen, 60, of Los Altos, Calif., was upgraded to serious condition from critical condition. She underwent surgery yesterday at Wilcox Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Lani Yukimura.
The other two passengers, Douglas and Judy Barton, both 60, of Newport, N.H., were transported to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition Sunday. Douglas Barton was upgraded to fair condition yesterday, while Judy Barton was upgraded to serious condition.
In Thursday's crash at Princeville Airport, the condition of one of three passengers has improved. Cornelius Scholtz, 31, of Santa Maria, Calif., was upgraded to serious condition from critical condition yesterday. Information was not available on the other two passengers, James McCarty, 48, of Cabot, Ark.; and Veronica O'Donnell, 45, of East Rockaway, N.Y.
Pilot Joe Sulak and three of the passengers' spouses who were also on the helicopter tour ride -- Magriet Inglebrecht, Teri McCarty, 47, and John O'Donnell, 45 -- all died in the crash after the A-Star 350B helicopter owned by Heli USA experienced hydraulic problems.
Relatives of victims in the Princeville crash were to arrive on Kauai as early as today. A private room was set up at Lihue Airport for them. American Red Cross counselors will be provided if requested, said Scott Ishikawa, Department of Transportation spokesman.
Star-Bulletin reporter Tom Finnegan contributed to this report.