It was the worst aviation disaster to ever happen on the South Coast, and it happened 20 years ago. On January 31st, 2000 an Alaska Airlines jetliner flying from Puerto Vallarta to Seattle crashed off the Ventura County coastline. 88 people died when the plane plummeted out of control into the ocean off of Anacapa Island.
It was later determined the failure of a screw on the tail assembly of the MD-83 jet caused the accident. Thursday, relatives of some of those who died in the crash of Alaska Air Flight 261 took a boat out to the crash scene. And Friday, there will be a remembrance ceremony at the memorial built in Port Hueneme for those who died.
