One of the four victims who died last Friday when the air ambulance she was traveling in crashed shortly after takeoff from the Elko, NV Airport. Tiffany Urresti, was 29 and used to be a member of the Elko Fire Department as well as part of the local Basque community. She also had been a dantzari in the Arinak Dancers in Elko, as well as a member of the local Basque club and a member of a well-known Basque family that includes former NABO president Mary (Urresti) Gaztambide. We would like to express our sincere condolences to the members of the Urresti, Gaztambide, and Cassingham families.
Elko, NV, USA. The reasons for the crash are still unknown, however the plane had just taken off from the Elko airport. It was an air ambulance and all four aboard perished: the pilot, two EMT’s and the patient.
The crash caused an explosion that spread to several vehicles that were parked in the Barrick Mining parking lot, where the crash occurred.
Video with the news of the accident and photo of Tiffany Urresti
Victims included EMT Jake Shepherd and Tiffany Urresti, the pilot Yuji Irie, as well as the patient that was being transported, Edward Clohesey.
Elko has a large Basque population. The Urrestis are well-known in the area, for their Basque side, as well as for their community involvement. Tiffany had served as a volunteer fireman for years in the footsteps of her father, Jim.
Part of the family resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mary (Urresti) Gaztambide, born in Nevada, was related to Tiffany, who enjoyed a large number of family and friends in the Basque community, and who showed their dismay all weekend long on social media after learning about the tragic news.
We would like to share a hug and our sincerest condolences to Tiffany’s family and friends, and in particular to Mary Gaztambide. GB.
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