Such tragic news.
YouTuber Josh Neuman, who rose to popularity through his skateboarding videos, died at age 22 following a plane crash in Iceland. Two other passengers and the pilot also perished in the crash, according to the Associated Press.
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Neuman was visiting Iceland to film commercial content for the fashion brand Suspicious Antwerp. Also on the plane were the brand’s sponsorship manager Tim Alings, 27, and Belgian skydiver and influencer Nicola Bellavia, 32. The pilot was Haraldur Diego, 49, identified by the AP as “one of Iceland’s most prominent aviators and a pioneer of photography tours.”
The outlet reported the group was flying to “capture footage of Iceland’s stunning scenery.” Suspicious Antwerp spokesman Bram Boriau shared via email:
“All persons present were hugely passionate about travel and content creation, hence these themes were the main focus of the trip.”
The plane disappeared from radar on Thursday without sending a distress signal. According to the AP, “more than 1,000 members of Iceland’s Search and Rescue organization helped hunt for the aircraft,” which was found days later in Lake Thingvallavatn, about 30 miles east of Reykjavik. Four bodies (believed to be the plane’s passengers) were found 157 feet deep in the lake using “autonomous submarine and sonar technology,” but as of Monday had yet to be retrieved due to poor conditions for divers.
Neuman’s family posted a statement confirming his passing on his Instagram (below). It read in part:
“Josh represents the side of humanity we all strive to achieve. The way he not just touched but impacted lives was on a scale of its own. In his quest for adventure, thirst for creativity and passion for personal reflection, he truly impacted all those he touched. Josh believed in this world and knew that one person could make a difference. And he did.”
They continued:
“In his 22 years on this earth, Josh didn’t just live life, he was life, and he lived every day to the fullest extent possible while being kind to everyone. As the world sheds a tear, we should know that he passed doing what he loved, having just experienced the Northern Lights in Iceland for the first time and commenting, ‘This is the happiest day of my life.’”
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Suspicious Antwerp also issued a statement on their Instagram Story (via E! News):
“The loss of our close friends has left all of us at Suspicious Antwerp in a state of mourning. We want to express our immense gratitude to everyone for their support, condolences and love. The same gratitude goes out to the emergency services, volunteers and many others who have been and are still working selflessly day and night to help loved ones find closure. Let us pick up the pace again soon.”
So, so sad. We’ll be keeping Josh and the other victims of this tragedy in our thoughts.
[Image via Josh Neuman/Instagram]
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