Men who died in Oregon small plane crash were Afghan Air Force pilots who resettled as refugees

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Three men who died in a small plane crash in Oregon were Afghan Air Force pilots who fought with the American military and came to the U.S. as refugees after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, according to groups that helped with their resettlement. “In 2022, they sought refuge and new beginnings in Oregon, where their kindness, skills, and determination quickly touched the lives of those around them,” the group said on a GoFundMe page it created to help cover funeral expenses and support the pilots' families. “When you look back and see their work and their life, what they've been through, it's so sad for all Afghans around the globe and especially here in the state of Oregon.” Darin Chung, co-founder of the Afghan American Development group, a nonprofit that helps some 600 former Afghan military aviation personnel in the U.S. with refugee resettlement, job training and family reunification, said he also met Musawi — at the aviation hangar in Independence this past spring. The small plane carrying Musawi, Safdari and Ferdawsi was traveling in heavy fog Saturday from McMinnville, Oregon, to the Independence State Airport, police said.