An American skateboarder and filmmaker has died after a sightseeing plane crashed into a lake in Iceland.
Skateboarder Josh Neuman was among four men who died in the incident, authorities have confirmed.
The 22-year-old was on the flight as part of a project to create commercial content for the Belgian fashion brand Suspicious Antwerp.
Rescue teams in Iceland were searching Friday for the small plane. Pic: AP
Alongside him were the company’s sponsorship manager, 27-year-old Tim Alings, and Nicola Bellavia, a 32-year-old skydiver and social media influencer from Belgium.
‘Fly high and rest easy brother’
Mr Neuman was best known for creating one of the most-watched skateboarding videos on Youtube, where his channel has nearly 1.2 million subscribers.
Digital creator, Spencer Shipman, paid tribute to his “friend” and “brother” on Instagram.
“Josh touched the lives of millions of people across the world. I don’t think I fully understood the magnitude and range of your impact until you passed away because you were always just Josh to me, my friend,” he wrote.
“You were a friend who I admired, looked up to, and trusted with my deepest thoughts and insecurities.”
He ended the statement with: “Trying my best to keep it together and live how you would want me to. I love you man. Fly high and rest easy brother.”
Wreckage found in country’s second-largest lake
The Cessna 172 plane, which was being flown by one of Iceland’s most prominent aviators, Haraldur Diego, disappeared from radar on Thursday.
After it failed to send out a distress signal, more than 1,000 search and rescue personnel helped hunt for the aircraft.
More than 1,000 search and rescue personnel helped find the wreckage. Pic: AP
It was eventually found in a portion of Iceland’s second-largest lake, Lake Thingvallavatn, about 30 miles east of the country’s capital along with four bodies believed to be the men.
Due to poor weather conditions, divers were initially prevented from retrieving the bodies, which were located at depths of up to 157ft.
A statement on the Suspicious Antwerp’s website said: “The plane that has been missing since 3 February in Iceland, has been found.
Rescue teams were combing the Thingvellir National Park area in harsh winter weather for the plane. Pic: AP
“It is with tremendous sadness that we are to report that the occupants consisted of a Suspicious Antwerp employee, two content creators, and an Icelandic pilot.
“We are enormously distressed by the news and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends. We are in close contact with them, as well as with the authorities, and we’re doing everything we can to assist them during these difficult times.”
It also thanked volunteers and emergency services for searching “day and night” for the wreckage.
