UPDATE: Virginia State Police divers and troopers continue this morning to for the pilot of a Food City helicopter that crashed into South Holston Lake late Friday. Divers spent much of the night searching the wreckage for the pilot, said Corinne Geller, state police spokesperson, in a written statement sent out this morning. The police search and recovery team will use side-scan sonar today to help look for the pilot. The helicopter remains in the water upside down, she said. Police will work to remove the wreckage today, she said.(TriCities.com)(8-25-2012)
UPDATE 2: The Sullivan County, Tenn., Sheriff’s Office dive team joined the search Saturday for a missing corporate pilot whose helicopter crashed lated Friday in South Holston Lake. Search crews who had spend the night searching the wreckage, spent much of Saturday using side-sonar in their efforts. The divers will continue their work through the night Saturday as well, and until the pilot is found, Corinne N. Geller, a public relations officer with the Virginia State Police, said in a written news statement updating the search. Geller confirmed Saturday that the helicopter did break apart upon impact with the water, with the bulk of the aircraft still submerged. The depths of the water at the crash site ranges from about 25 to 40 feet.(TriCities.com)(8-26-2012)
UPDATE 3: The body of Bill Starnes, the pilot who crashed his helicopter into South Holston Lake Friday, was recovered today in about 80 feet of water, according to the Virginia State Police. State police officials had used sonar to locate the body and a dive team brought the body to surface around 3 p.m. Starnes was shuttling people back from the NASCAR race Friday at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The helicopter crashed shortly after dropping people off at a residence on the lake. A team will continue to recover the wreckage which is at the bottom of the lake.(TriCities.com)(8-27-2012)