Former American astronaut William Anders died in a plane crash in the state of Washington on Friday (June 7), at the age of 90. Anders is best known for taking the iconic “Earthrise” photo during the 1968 Apollo 8 mission for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson, honored Anders by sharing the iconic “Earthrise” photo on social media. Nelson stated that Anders presented humanity with one of the most profound gifts an astronaut could offer during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. “We will remember him,” Nelson added.
The “Earthrise” photo captured the vibrant Earth looking fragile and small against the backdrop of the endless black space. Anders once remarked that one of the most impressive things about the Apollo 8 mission was capturing the “Earthrise” photograph.
Confirming Anders’ passing, the Heritage Flight Museum located near Burlington, Washington, which he co-founded, announced that he was the victim of the plane crash.
Anders’ son, Greg Anders, confirmed the incident to CBS News, revealing that the crashed aircraft belonged to his father. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release that the aircraft crashed near the coast of Jones Island.
Around 11:40 am Pacific Time, the dispatch center received initial reports that an old model aircraft was flying from north to south before crashing into the waters near the north end of Jones Island and sinking.
Following a search involving multiple agencies covering 215 nautical miles over several hours, the United States Coast Guard dive team recovered Anders’ body.
According to his biography on NASA’s website, Anders was born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong and attended the United States Naval Academy and the Air Force Institute of Technology. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1964, accumulating over 6,000 flight hours.
In addition to serving as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 8, he also acted as the backup pilot for Gemini XI and Apollo 11 missions.