
I have some terrible news this morning. Reports have come in that Travis Barker and DJ AM were in a plane crash and both suffered severe injuries.
Officials say a Learjet has crashed while departing from a Columbia, S.C., airport, killing four people on board and critically injuring two others -- ex-Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and "DJ AM" Adam Goldstein.
It was not immediately clear who else was on board the jet. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen says the plane carrying six people was departing shortly before midnight Friday when air traffic controllers reporting seeing sparks. She says the plane went off the runway and crashed on a nearby road.
It gets worse...
Someone emailed me this morning saying the unnamed dead were the band, Blink 182. Here is the email:
Vera--
I just found out some very sad news. There has been a plane crash near Columbia SC and the entire band of Blink 182 has been killed. CNN hasn't picked up on this yet, but someone I know who works in air traffic informed me of this just minutes ago. I'm searching for info, but appears the news hasn't been released to anyone yet. I'm just so sad. Wanted to share with you as I'm sure info will be released shortly.
I can't confirm the email, but I wanted to share it so it can be debunked. If anyone hears that this isn't true, PLEASE post it in the comment section.
Update: Reader just emailed me and said her friend probably misunderstood Travis Barker's relationship with Blink 182. The rest of the group was NOT on the plane! PHEW!!
This news is truly devastating.
Update: Though both critical, we now know that Travis and Adam are in a burn unit together. We do know the pair was returning from a concert with former Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell and Gavin DeGraw. Let's hope they weren't on the plane either...
Barker, 32, reportedly was taken to a burn center in Augusta, Georgia, and was listed in critical condition Saturday morning. Hospital officials also confirmed that DJ AM (real name: Adam Michael Goldstein), was also admitted to the burn unit, in critical condition.
Update 2: Two dead were crew. Two left to confirm. This is just terrible.
Update 3: Hospital just released statement saying Barker and Goldstein both have "extensive burns".
Update 4: A INO reader from Georgia just emailed me that her local news is claiming the injuries are so extensive that both parties are not likely to survive. The two unnamed bodies are also currently receiving autopsies to determine the identity.
Update 5: Perry Ferrell was not on the plane.
Update 6: Some good news. Both Travis and Adam are stable. Critical... but stable. THANK GOODNESS!!!!!
"Both Travis Barker and Adam Goldstein are in critical but stable condition," Beth Frits, spokesperson for the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, tells PEOPLE. "Goldstein was airlifted here and Barker was brought by ground transportation. So they arrived separately."
Update 7: Details emerged from ABC News claiming that Travis and Adam walked away from the wreckage on their own before rescue team could arrive.
Barker and Goldstein got out of the plane on their own before rescue crews arrived, according to Lynne Douglas, a spokeswoman for the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The four who died never emerged from the plane's burning wreckage.
Update 8: Three people have been identified. Pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31,
of Anaheim Hills, CA co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, CA and
Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, CA. My thoughts are with their families.
Update 9: Eyewithness at the scene recalls what he saw:
"I didn't know what I had seen -- it was maybe 800 feet in front of me, but as I approached it closer though I made out a fire. By then I was able to see the tail of the jet and I recognized it as a jet," Owens said.
Owens then described what he saw as he tried to make it to the wreckage.
"It's in flames and the fuel is running across the road and I had to cross the fuel to get to the two guys that seemed to have been dumped on the highway," Owens said.
Owens said the two men were running around and stripping down to extinguish themselves. He then asked the men if there was anyone else on board the plane and they said four more were with them.
"We turned to the jet to try and see if there was anything we could do, but immediately, there was nothing anyone could do," Owens said.
thanks for posting this vera. i was trying in vain to find more information, since i knew that perry ferrell was also there for that show....and i was in a near panic not knowing if he was on the plane or not. i am just so sad, and hope that both travis and adam are able to recover from this tragedy.
As of 9:30 cst. Farrell was confirmed to NOT being on the plane.
Gavin DeGraw was not on the plane either
So far all I am hearing on the injuries is that both Barker and Goldstein were transferred to a burn center. They are saying 2 of the dead are the pilot and another crew member and 2 were passengers and 2 survived.
Semi ObsessedSep 20, 2008 @ 09:55 am
This is horrible news. My heart goes out to their families.
omg :( i hope this is not true..omg :(
Omg that is so sad! I love them! I hope its not true. XxX
Many news outlets and forums are postulating that the two deceased passengers were the other two performers at the show: Gavin DeGraw and Perry Farrell. But let's hope that, that is not the case!
I'm not sure what difference it makes whether the other passengers had been the singers or not. The other peoples lives were just as important and it's not any less sad that these other people had to die than it would be had it of been Gavin DeGraw and Perry Farrell. I'm tired of everyone say "phew" I'm glad it wasn't them.
Yea, me too. The crew members and the other two people on the plane were just as inportant as Travis Barker and DJ AM. If you died you would want someone to care wouldnt you> So, care for the other people who do not the names of just as much as you do for the people you do know the names.
CNN has a picture of the burned, mangled plane. It is a wonder anyone survived that. This is so sad.
Semi ObsessedSep 20, 2008 @ 09:56 am
My prayers are with their families. The reports mentioned 2 crew members and one male and one female killed. Travis and DJ AM in critical condition.
amy, i just saw that picture. it makes my stomach do butterflies. i keep checking both msnbc and cnn hoping that they will get the story updated soon so we can find out for sure who the other two passengers were. it is very sad. and i can't for the life of me figure out why this isn't running on the tv news.
Some news outlets are saying Perry Farrell was NOT on the plane.
Semi ObsessedSep 20, 2008 @ 10:10 am
Perez Hilton just posted that they have just got word that it wasn't Perry Ferrell after all. How VERY VERY sad this news is.
BrowserSep 20, 2008 @ 10:11 am
HORRIBLE--I saw those guys live in a bar and hung out them over 10 years ago---very talented musicians--very funny guys.
blink 182 is not together you fibbing blog writer. stop trying to make fictitous stories up for the sake of traffic
shut up.
shut up.
you're an idiot, go away
I agree. How TERRIBLE of Vera to write something from an email FAKE TIP
Maybe, she didnt know it was a fake tip when she posted it. Also, she said that it was an e-mail and that didnt know if the source was valid or not. So chill. And stop being rude.
How awful. :( I hope they both have smooth, quick recoveries. I just can't imagine. The four dead are three males and one female, it's being reported. What a tragic loss to those families. :(
Can't Help MyselfSep 20, 2008 @ 10:29 am
This is terribly sad news, my thoughts are with the families of those involved.
I also just read that it was not Gavin DeGraw either.
BrowserSep 20, 2008 @ 10:34 am
Awwww so sad!
I am so sad. I really like Travis Barker, I hope he and Adam are able to pull through. Many prayers for them and their families.
What sad news to wake up to...with "extensive" burns, even if they do survive, their lives will be horribly changed. I am thinking in particular of Travis' kids with Shanna - he seemed like such a good dad to them, even to her oldest daughter who was not his...
agreed; he does seem like a very hands-on dad even to his daughter that is not biologically his...
One other thing Vera - since Blink 182 is not together anymore, and hasn't been for a while, I would doubt they were with Travis for this gig. He plays in a new band with DJAM. The other two are probably some of their band members...but I am speculating...
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