A Hawaii state health official who made headlines after she released a copy of President Barack Obama's birth certificate back in 2011 was killed in a plane crash off the island of Molokai, according to Reuters.
Loretta Fuddy, director of the Hawaii Department of Health, was killed when a single-engine plane with nine people on board crashed some 300 yards off Molokai's Kalaupapa peninsula on Dec. 11.
Seven passengers and the pilot survived the crash with non-critical injuries, according to Reuters.
A spokesman for the Hawaii Department of Health said Fuddy's deputy, Keith Yamamoto, was one of the passengers who survived the crash.
"Our hearts are broken. Loretta was deeply loved and respected. She was selfless, utterly dedicated, and committed to her colleagues in the Department of Health and to the people of Hawaii," Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie said in a statement.
The flight was operated by Makani Kai Air, which flies from Oahu and Molokai.
Makani Kai Air owner Richard Schuman said that the crash was caused by engine failure and that the pilot tried to bring the plane down safely, according to KITV4.
A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said the agency was investigating the crash, but it could be two weeks before the investigation is completed.
The Federal Aviation Administration is also in the middle of a probe of the incident.
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