TERREBONNE PARISH, La. — The two people killed in a plane crash near Lake Hatch in Terrebonne Parish Friday were identified a day later by law enforcement officials.
The pilot was identified as Omar Fouad El-Aazami, 54, of Lumberton, Mississippi.
Dr. Jan Marie Villemarette, 48, who lived and owned a dentistry practice in Houma, was identified as the passenger.
Rescue crews were dispatched to the marshy area around the lake just before noon Friday after a report of a downed plane.
Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office rescue crews found the two bodies in the wreckage of the single-engine Cessna 182.
“I am grateful to the Dularge Fire Department and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for their assistance in the location and recovery efforts,” Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Soignet said in a statement. “I also wish to extend my condolences to the families of the victims. Please know that you are all in my prayers during this painful time.”
According to the Houma Courier, the plane was a Cessna 182, and departed from the Houma-Terrebonne Airport at 11 a.m. en route to Brenham, Texas.
The newspaper cited National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson.
The single-engine plane disappeared from radar around 11:14 a.m. about seven miles southwest of Houma, Knudson told the Courier.
It's unclear exactly why the plane went down.
The two victims were believed to be the only people on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into the cause of the crash, per standard procedure, along with the National Transportation Safety Board.
A preliminary report could be available in a few weeks, with a final report taking up to 2 years.
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