SC community mourns 9 who died in Alaska plane crash

Both families were members of the same church in Greenville, S.C.

Melet and Kim Antonakos, and their children, Ana, Mills and Olivia, of Greenville, S.C., ?died Sunday, July 7, 2013, in a plane crash during a vacation in Alaska. The Antonakos family is shown here in a 2010 Christ Church Episcopal directory photo. (Photo: Courtesy Christ Church Episcopal)

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Friends, neighbors, schoolmates, colleagues and fellow parishioners were in stunned mourning Tuesday as word spread of the deaths of nine vacationers from Greenville, S.C. - two entire families - in the crash of a single-engine plane shortly after takeoff Sunday from a small airport in Alaska.

Meanwhile, investigators were searching for clues at Alaska's Soldotna Municipal Airport almost 75 miles from Anchorage, as grieving parishioners of Christ Church Episcopal were preparing a service and school friends and athletic teammates expressed sorrow.

Melet and Kim Antonakos and their children, Ana, 11, Mills, 14, and Olivia, 16, died, along with Dr. Chris and Stacey McManus and their children, Meghan, 18, and Connor, 16, said South Carolina House Majority Leader Bruce Bannister, who lives near the Antonakos family and goes to church with both families.

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A candlelight vigil is planned for Tuesday night at 9 p.m., said Kim Geddie, a representative for Gower Swimming.

At the Antonakos home Tuesday, dozens of people, mostly teens, walked across the broad front lawn to a book on the front porch to write remembrances to their friends. Neighbors stood in the street, talking quietly.

The neighbors said the best thing they can do for their friends now is to tell their story, one of a loving family, accomplished and respectful children and a spirit of giving.

'They were fun, always made you laugh, always found something to laugh about,' said Mary Margaret Bannister, a neighbor, and the wife of the South Carolina state representative.

'I'm thinking about all the volunteer stuff she roped me into,' said Lynn Norwood, who knew Kim Antonakos since they were in high school together. 'School, church. We taught Sunday school together, Freaky Friday.'

Dr. Chris and Stacey McManus and their children Meghan and Connor, of Greenville, S.C., shown here in this 2010 photo, died in a plane crash Sunday, July 7, 2013, while on vacation with the Antonakos family in Alaska.(Photo: Courtesy Christ Church Episcopal)

The plane crash is the third tragedy in less than a month involving parishioners of Christ Church Episcopal, the second involving a plane crash in Alaska.

Olivia Antonakos was a rising junior at J.L. Mann High School, first in her class, secretary of the student council and a member of the varsity basketball team. Her basketball coach Darah Huffman called her accomplishments exceptional.

'Her father was so proud of her academic excellence but also concerned about her stressing herself out,' said Huffman.

She said Olivia probably would have been a starter next year.

Her brother, Mills, a rising freshman at Mann, also was a talented basketball player and star student who was president of the student body at Beck Academy last year. He did the announcements over the public address system every morning.

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the accident of the de Havilland DHC3 Otter air taxi Sunday morning at the Soldotna Municipal Airport in the town of about 4,200, authorities said. The pilot also died in the crash.

Riddle and Barnett also write for The Greenville (S.C.) News. Contributing: David Dykes, The Greenville (S.C.) News