At least four Central Texans were killed in a plane crash in Australia.
Four Americans were among five killed when a plane crashed into a shopping center shortly after takeoff near Melbourne, Australia early Tuesday morning, authorities told ABC News. The plane suffered a "catastrophic engine failure" in the air, according to Victoria Police’s Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane. Officials said the pilot tried to return to the airport, but instead crashed into the shopping center.
According to social media posts, at least four men killed in the crash were from the Central Texas area. Australian media reports family members have named three of the victims as as Greg De Haven, Russell Munsch and Glenn Garland.
Later, KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Statesman reported that the fourth victim in the plane crash was identified as Josh Washburn of Spicewood. The Statesman reports that Washburn was Munsch's neighbor.
The Herald Sun reports De Haven, 70, was a retired FBI agent and Munsch was a founding partner of Munsch Hardt law firm, which has several branches in Texas, including in Austin. A representative of the firm gave the following statement to KVUE's sister station in Dallas, WFAA:
It is with great sadness that we inform you our dear friend, colleague, and co-founder Russ Munsch passed away in a tragic plane crash in Melbourne, Australia yesterday. Russ was enjoying retirement, and doing what he loved almost more than practicing law – playing golf. Russ was a lawyer’s lawyer; one of the best of all time. During his nearly 40-year career, he worked on high-profile bankruptcy cases including Enron Corporation, Coho Energy Corporation, Northwest Airlines, and as bankruptcy counsel to Nelson Bunker Hunt in what is still considered the largest personal bankruptcy proceeding in history. Russ was a loving husband, father and friend, and he will be dearly missed. Until we learn more, we ask that you keep Russ’s family in your thoughts and prayers.
The Herald Sun also reports that Garland, a native of Austin, was the CEO of energy consulting company CLEAResult before retiring in 2015.
One relative described the trip as a "trip of a lifetime." Their wives were believed to be on vacation with them, but they were not on the plane.
