Will Byler and Bailee Ackerman Byler a newly married Texas couple are killed in a Uvalde helicopter crash two hours after wedding ceremony. Cause of crash unknown.
A newlywed Texas couple who had only just tied the knot earlier that evening have died after the helicopter that was meant to whisk them away crashed- killing the bride and groom along with the pilot.
Identified as the bride and groom were Will Byler and Bailee Ackerman– both 23 years old.
ABC13 reported the couple who were just married an hour and a half earlier dying when their helicopter went down in Uvalde, Texas, Saturday night.
The couple, seniors at Sam Houston State University, had taken off in the helicopter from their ceremony which was held at Will’s family ranch. As their helicopter took off, elated guests recalled waving and cheering- not knowing that within minutes the newly married college sweethearts would be dead.
About a mile outside of the ranch, the helicopter ‘crashed into the side of a hill,’ according to wedding guest Eric Smith according to a Facebook post.
He described the soiree as a fairy tale wedding, and said the couple were surrounded by friends and family as they departed.
What caused Uvalde helicopter crash?
WOAI reported the crash happening near Chalk Bluff Park near Highway 55 at around midnight. The aircraft was identified as being a Bell 206B, a two bladed, two-engined helicopter.
The Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, game wardens, Border Patrol agents, the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department and Uvalde Emergency Medical Services searched for the wreckage and were able to locate the wreckage around daybreak.
Posted, Jessica Stilley, Bailee’s maid of honor: ‘My sweet Bailee Raye, my heart is broken in a million little pieces as I sit here and think of the rest of my life without my best friend.’
Adding, ‘I’m so sad to even be captioning these pictures with this, but you know I just have to share with everyone how beautiful you looked on your wedding day like I normally would have.’
Reflected, Madi Wagner, a friend of the couple, ‘I am having a hard time comprehending this whole situation, but I have not once asked why. These two spent their last day on this earth celebrating with their most cherished loved ones- I believe it truly was the best day of their lives.’
‘I know for certain God needed these two sweet souls more than we did here on earth. I know for certain they have made him proud, for the work they have done here on earth as well.’
‘To see all of the people that loved these two so greatly is a blessing. As a Christian i know that God’s hands are upon them and what better honeymoon could anyone ever imagine than entering those gates and spending their first days as husband and wife at God’s right hand,’
To date investigators have yet to say whether the cause of the crash was human error related or operations related.
Uvalde helicopter crash: Human error or mechanical error?
