NASA Stresses Starliner Astronauts Safety Amid Delay; Apollo 8 Astronaut Anders Dies in Plane Crash

On a tragic note, retired Maj. Gen. William Anders, renowned for capturing the iconic "Earthrise" photo during the Apollo 8 mission, met a fatal accident last month. The accident occurred while he was piloting his Beech A45 airplane over the waters off Washington state. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report on the incident, shedding light on the details surrounding the tragic event.

The Deadly Flyby

Anders had planned to perform a flyby near a friend's house on the western shore of Orcas Island. As he flew near his friend's house, the plane took a dramatic turn. An eyewitness on the same shoreline filmed the vintage airplane passing by and captured the heartbreaking moment when the plane went into a near-vertical dive, ultimately leading to a fatal crash in the water.

Tragically, the 90-year-old Anders did not survive the crash, and his body was recovered that afternoon. The NTSB later located the fuselage of the plane about 1,700 feet west of the plane's last radar target in the water. Moreover, most of the wreckage was salvaged and stored for further examination, painting a somber picture of the aftermath of the incident.

Astronaut's Legacy

William Anders holds a significant place in history as one of the first three people to have traveled to the moon. His iconic "Earthrise" photo, captured while in lunar orbit during the Apollo 8 mission, remains an enduring symbol of human exploration. In addition, he has a crater on the moon named after him, called "The Anders Crater," solidifying his place in the annals of space exploration.

Remembering William Anders

Speaking about his father, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders fondly recalled that William Anders was a great pilot and expressed deep sorrow at his passing. The world mourns the loss of a pioneering astronaut and a remarkable individual.