Business Mogul and Blue Origin astronaut Glen de Vries died in a plane crash in New Jersey on Thursday, according to CNN.
De Vries, an instrument rated pilot, was flying a single-engine Cessna 172 aircraft over a wooded area in Hampton Township, New Jersey, when the plane unexpectedly went down for unknown reasons, according to CNN.
One of Blue Origin’s newest astronauts, 49-year-old Glen de Vries, survived a ride to space in October alongside actor William Shatner. But less than a month later, he was killed in a small plane crash on Thursday in New Jersey. https://t.co/y0VadswXsT
— CNN (@CNN) November 12, 2021
“Our thoughts and support go out to Glen’s family. Our deepest sympathy also goes out to our MEDIDATA team, which Glen co-founded. His tireless energy, empathy and pioneering spirit left their mark on everyone who knew him,” a spokesperson for Dassault Systèmes, where de Vries served vice chairman of life sciences and healthcare, said in a statement to CNN.
“We will truly miss Glen, but his dreams — which we share — live on: we will pursue progress in life sciences & healthcare as passionately as he did,” added the spokesperson.
De Vires most recently joined Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and William Shatner on Blue Origin’s successful first commercial flight into space in October. Blue Origin released a statement shortly after the crash mourning De Vries’ tragic passing. (RELATED: William Shatner Has Just Four Words For Anyone Who Says He’s Too Old For Space Flight)
“We are devastated to hear of the sudden passing of Glen de Vries,” a spokesperson for Blue Origin said in a statement to CNN.
“He brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and to his fellow crewmates. His passion for aviation, his charitable work, and his dedication to his craft will long be revered and admired,” added the Blue Origin spokesperson.
The New Jersey State Police said 49-year-old De Vries’ only passenger was 54-year-old Thomas P. Fischer, according to CNN.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced they will be investigating the crash.