The fifth victim of a tragic private jet crash in Maine has been named as a well-known sommelier who had recently joined a new luxury travel startup.
Shelby Kuyawa, aged 34, was on board the unfortunate flight on Sunday, which was headed to Paris for a trip organized by Tara Arnold’s upscale travel company, Beyond. A source close to Kuyawa shared this with the Daily Mail.
The company aims to provide exclusive travel experiences for affluent clients, featuring stays at luxurious resorts and unique culinary adventures.
Kuyawa was one of the six people who tragically lost their lives in the accident, which resulted in an intense fireball. Reports suggest that she had been looking forward to visiting a castle and other impressive landmarks during her trip.
She had met both Tara Arnold and her husband, Kurt, while working at the Kukio Golf and Beach Club in Hawaii. Kuyawa, along with chef Nick Masticusa, was recruited by the Arnolds for Beyond late last year.
Masticusa, who has three children, was also among the crash’s victims, alongside Arnold, the pilot Jacob Hosmer, 47, and event planner Shauna Collins. Only one person from the crash has yet to be identified.
Notably, Kurt and his business partner, Jason Itkin, were not on the plane during the incident, according to reports.
The Bombardier Challenger 600, which is owned by the Arnold & Itkin law firm based in Houston, flipped and erupted into flames while taking off from Bangor International Airport at approximately 7:45 p.m. Sunday.
This private jet had stopped in Maine for refueling while battling the impacts of winter storm Fern.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that investigators had arrived at the scene on Tuesday, and a comprehensive investigation is set to commence on Wednesday.
