Baruch Dayan Emes
Two Jewish Pilots Lost: The Heartbreaking Aftermath of the Hammonton Midair Crash
A tragic midair collision between two helicopters in New Jersey has claimed the lives of two Jewish pilots, Michael Greenberg and Kenneth Kirsch, leaving their communities in deep mourning.
The Jewish community is reeling following the news that both pilots involved in a fatal midair helicopter collision in southern New Jersey this past weekend were Jewish men. The accident, which took place in a rural area of Atlantic County, has left families devastated and investigators searching for answers as to how the two aircraft came into contact while flying in seemingly clear conditions.
The victims have been identified as 71 year old Michael Greenberg, a resident of Sewell, and 65 year old Kenneth Kirsch, who lived in Carney’s Point. According to local authorities and emergency responders, the crash occurred around 11:25 a.m. on Sunday morning. The helicopters went down in a farm field located roughly a mile and a half from a local airport in Hammonton, New Jersey. This location is approximately 40 miles away from the large Jewish hub of Lakewood, where news of the tragedy spread quickly among friends and acquaintances of the pilots.
Michael Greenberg was tragically pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Sunday. The second pilot, Kenneth Kirsch, initially survived the impact and was airlifted by emergency medical teams to a nearby hospital for specialized care. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, he succumbed to his injuries on Monday. Both men were experienced in aviation, and the loss of two members of the community in such a sudden and violent manner has prompted an outpouring of grief and calls for prayers for their families.
Witnesses who were on the ground at the time of the disaster reported seeing the two helicopters flying in close proximity to one another just moments before the collision took place. While the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have begun an investigation into the cause of the crash, the immediate focus for the community remains on honoring the memories of the deceased. In times of such profound loss, the traditional Jewish expression of mourning, Baruch Dayan Emes, serves as a reminder of the fragility of life. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days as the community prepares to pay its final respects to these two individuals. May we hear only Besuros Tovos in the future.