Lawsuit over deadly seaplane crash in Washington state targets aircraft operator and manufacturer

SEATTLE (AP) — Representatives for all but one of the nine passengers killed in a seaplane crash near Washington state’s Whidbey Island are suing the flight’s charter operator and aircraft manufacturer. The Seattle Times reports that the three lawsuits filed Tuesday say the companies are responsible for the victims’ deaths. The lawsuits name Northwest Seaplanes, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada and other aviation entitie, as defendants. The single-engine De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Turbine Otter that crashed was owned by Northwest Seaplanes. Northwest Seaplanes and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada didn’t respond Thursday to requests by the newspaper for comment. Attempts to reach the companies by The Associated Press were not immediately successful.