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Oahu Parachute Center offers condolences following Mokuleia airplane crash

LEILA FUJIMORI / JUNE 23

Floral and memorial tributes are seen on the fence line at Dillingham Air Field in Mokuleia. The victims from Friday night’s crash included six employees of the Oahu Parachute Center, three visitors and two local skydivers.

The Oahu Parachute Center on Tuesday morning posted a statement of condolence on its Facebook page regarding the plane crash at Dillingham Airfield on Friday that resulted in 11 fatalities.

“Oahu Parachute Center extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of those who perished in the catastrophic incident that occurred on June 21st,” the company wrote. “There are no words to describe the overwhelming heart break that we are all enduring. We are in full cooperation with Honolulu Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board in hopes that we discover what led to this terrible event. Thank you everyone for your love and support during this time. Please continue to pray for those who perished and all who mourn them. God bless all of us during this difficult time.”

The victims from Friday night’s crash included six employees of the Oahu Parachute Center, three visitors and two local skydivers.

This morning, the center’s phone number went directly to voicemail. Dillingham Airfield also reopened at 7 a.m. today as the NTSB investigation into the crash continues.

Oahu Parachute Center was a relatively new skydiving company at Dillingham, having registered for business in 2017. The business is registered to George Rivera, Rudolfo Lugo and Rubens Velasquez.

Rivera is also the registered owner of the Hawaii Parachute Center, which became active in 2008, according to business records.

More than 60, including friends, family and former customers, responded to the statement with their own messages of thoughts and prayers, and recalled memories of skydiving with those who were lost.

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