26 February 2023 , 18:11
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The five victims killed in a tragic air ambulance have been named as their heartbroken families paid emotional tributes.
Care Flight, which provides ambulance service by plane and helicopter, vanished from flight radar near Stagecoach, Nevada, US, on Friday evening at around 9.45pm.
Police received reports of a possible plane crash in the area and found wreckage just 90 minutes later after the aircraft crashed 45 miles southeast of Reno.
It was confirmed by authorities the Pilatus PC-12 airplane had crashed after entering stormy conditions.
REMSA Health, the Reno-based medical flight service operator, said in a statement: "We are heartbroken to report that we have now received confirmation from Central Lyon County Fire Department that none of the five people on board survived."
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Scott Walton, a dad of three young girls, was described as a "passionate" pilot (GoFundMe)“The five people on board were a pilot, a flight nurse, a flight paramedic, a patient and a patient’s family member."
Although officials have not publicly named the victims, heartbroken family members have revealed the names of their loved ones.
The patient was named as Mark “Bear” Rand who was “on his way to receive life saving medical treatment in Utah”, according to his family on their GoFundMe page.
His wife Terri, who tragically died, was by his side on the plane.
Patient Mark “Bear” Rand was on his way to receive life saving treatment with his wife Terri (GoFundMe)“What was supposed to be a saving grace, ended in tragedy for the Rand family and the families of the crew and first responders on board,” the post said.
Scott Walton, a dad of three young girls, was described as a "passionate" pilot who dedicated his life to helping others.
A fundraiser on behalf of the family wrote: “Transporting patients to receive life-saving care was an absolute passion and life’s mission for Scott.
"He was one of those special people who lit up a room, who brought smiles to everyone’s face, who never met a stranger."
And the flight's paramedic was 27-year-old Ryan Watson who had just become a new dad after welcoming a newborn son a month ago.
Flight paramedic Ryan Watson was just 27 (GoFundMe)His family wrote on GoFundMe: "Ryan was a loving Husband, New Father, Son, Brother, Friend, and an incredible care provider whose dedication to his family and community was unmatched,” his family wrote in a GoFundMe.
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“Ryan loved being a Flight Medic and brought a positive attitude to every call and patient interaction he had. Ryan had an infectious personality; he was hilarious, ambitious, and free-spirited.
"He loved traveling the world and going on extreme adventures outside of work with his beautiful wife Kailey, Family, and Friends.”
Dad-of-two Ed Pricola, a military veteran, was working as the flight nurse and had only joined the company a few months ago, according to his family.
He leaves behind his wife of 12 years, 4-year-old daughter Riley and 2-year-old son Everett.
The online fundraiser said: "It’s no surprise that Ed, at 32 years old, was helping others when his life was taken far too soon from all of his loved ones."
The cause of the crash is currently being investigated by the federal aviation.