Richard Russell has been named as the plane thief in Seattle earlier today. He was doing loops for frightened people in the air before crashing the plane off a small island in the Puget Sound. Richard Russell was only 29.
| Richard Russell is Seattle plane thief who crashed in Puget Sound |
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Richard Russell, who dreamed of being in the military and once ran a bakery with his wife, was identified as the suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport and took it on a dramatic unauthorized flight, where it was chased by fighter planes as he attempted “stunts” in the air before the plane crashed.
The man, known as “Rich” in air traffic control audio and dubbed the “sky king” on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. The incident led to a dramatic and tragic night on August 10, 2018, as aircraft were grounded at Sea-Tac while fighter jets followed the man and air traffic controllers tried unsuccessfully to help him land the aircraft.
On social media, Richard Russell used the name “Beebo Russell.” Although authorities have not released his name, The Seattle Times identified the man as Richard Russell. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.)